Iraq: At least 1,000 sentenced to die

A prominent human rights organization has called on Iraq to halt all executions, saying the country's death penalty process continues to lack "transparency."

Amnesty International issued a report Tuesday urging Iraq to stop executions handed down in court proceedings that it said did not meet international standards.

The report says Iraq has at least 1,000 prisoners on death row. It adds that 150 of those prisoners have exhausted all legal means to stop their executions.

Iraq's government has said it uses the death penalty to reduce widespread violence in the country.

But Amnesty International says executing prisoners has not served as an effective deterrent. It says bombings and shootings have killed thousands since 2003.

Published by Mike Hitchen i On Global Trends, world news, analysis, opinion
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