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Iraq Hangs 36 over Speicher Massacre | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Soldiers stand by a mass grave containing the bodies of those killed in the Speicher massacre. Reuters


Baghdad- Justice Minister Haidar al-Zamili told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that the trial of Speicher massacre suspects was completed although what happened was clear and defendants already admitted their involvement.

Zamili said: “The Ministry of Justice implemented the execution of over 36 convicts after President of Iraq Fuad Masum approved the sentences, according to the constitution. Executions took place in Nasiriyah Prison, 350 km south of Baghdad, and the victims’ families attended.”

He added that the public prosecution agreed that the Ministry of Justice implement the executions after the Speicher massacre has become an Iraqi public case.

On 14 June 2016, the Iraqi President gave the green light to all execution sentences related to Speicher massacre while three detainees were released for lack of evidence.

The United Nations criticized Iraqi efforts to speed up executions, the thing which might end the life of innocent people knowing that already around 1,200 persons are waiting to be executed. “Fast-tracking executions will only accelerate injustice,” U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said earlier this month.

Iraqi Politician Misha’an al-Juburi said that names and pictures of murderers involved in the massacre were handed over to judicial authorities on time but none of them was arrested.”

When asked whether the sentences seemed suspicions Jaburi told Asharq Al-Awsat that he had already provided all the information he got in this case and had nothing more to say.

However, Member of Parliament Awatef Naameh told Asharq Al-Awsat that the executions were carried out based on pieces of evidence and confessions by dozens of executors.

Naameh considered the sentence just, considering the grave massacre where 1,700 Iraqi volunteers were killed. “Such sentences return a small part of the victims’ rights; the government however should provide the remaining rights to their families,” she added.

The Speicher massacre is considered one of ISIS worst crimes since it took over large parts of the country in 2014.