Iraq sentences man to death by hanging for slaughtering Russian diplomat
Baghdad’s central criminal court.
Baghdad (Iraqinews.com) – An Iraqi court has sentenced a man to death by hanging for involvement in slaughtering a Russian diplomat in 2006, an Iraqi judicial official was quoted as saying Monday.
“The Central Criminal Court issued its ruling against the terrorist after he admitted to slaughtering the Russian diplomat in 2006 and then disposing of his body by throwing it into the Tigris river,” Baghdad Today quoted Abdul Sattar al-Biraqdar, the spokesman for Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council, as saying.
According to al-Biraqdar, the terrorist was found implicated in “kidnapping four foreigners and then killing them in collaboration with other militants.”
“The court ruling was issued pursuant to article 4/1 of the anti-terrorism law,” al-Biraqdar pointed out.
Iraq’s anti-terrorism law empowers courts to convict people who are believed to have helped jihadists even if they are not accused of carrying out attacks.
Iraqi courts have sentenced to death a total of more than 300 people, including dozens of foreigners, for belonging to IS, judicial sources said last month.
The exact number of detained militants is still unknown, however, it’s estimated to be at thousands. It’s also unclear how many members are likely to face death sentences.
Moreover, the Iraqi government did not provide estimates about number of the foreign detained militants or those who have Arab or Iraqi origins.