Document - Iraq: Further information on fear of imminent execution/death penalty

PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 14/028/2007

09 May 2007

Further Information on UA 33/07 (MDE 14/005/2007, 9 February 2007) – Fear of imminent execution/death penalty

IRAQ Samar Sa’ad ‘Abdullah (f), aged about 25
Wassan Talib (f), aged 31
Zeynab Fadhil (f), aged 25
Liqa’ Qamar (f), aged 25

The Court of Cassation is now known to have confirmed the death sentences of Samar Sa’ad Abdullah and Wassan Talib, on 26 February. The two women are in imminent danger of execution. The President, who has the power to ratify or commute death sentences, has not yet decided on their cases. The Court of Cassation found Zeynab Fadhil not guilty of murder and commuted her death sentence. However, she was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for failing to inform the authorities and withholding information related to the killing of members of the Iraqi security forces. There is no new information on Liqa’ Qamar’s case.

It is now known that Samar Sa’ad ‘Abdullah was sentenced to death on 15 August 2005 by the Criminal Court of al-Karkh, Baghdad, not by the Central Criminal Court of Iraq (CCCI), and her sentence was not upheld on appeal, as previously reported. She had been found guilty of the murder of her uncle, his wife and one of their children, not three children. She reportedly blamed the killings on her fiancé, who, she said, had carried them out in order to rob her uncle. Her fiancé was said to have been arrested, but Amnesty International does not know what charges, if any, have been brought against him.

Wasan Talib and Zeynab Fadhil were sentenced to death on 31 August 2006 by the CCCI for the2005 murder of several members of the Iraqi security forces in the Baghdad district of Hay al-Furat. Liqa’ Qamar was sentenced to death on 6 February 2006 by the CCCI, for a kidnapping which reportedly took place in 2005. Her husband is said to have been detained and accused of the same crime. No further details are available.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The interim government of Iraq reinstated the death penalty in August 2004 for several offences, including offences against Iraq’s internal security, premeditated murder, drug trafficking and kidnapping. Since then at least 100 people have been executed, including at least 65 men and women in 2006, and more than 270 people have been sentenced to death.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in English or your own language:

- expressing concern that Samar Sa’ad ‘Abdullah and Wassan Talib are facing imminent execution;

- urging the authorities not to carry out the death sentences imposed on these two women, or that imposed on Liqa’ Qamar;
- calling on the authorities to commute all the death sentences that have been passed since August 2004, and to move from there to a complete abolition of the death penalty.

APPEALS TO: fax numbers and e-mail addresses for the Iraqi authorities are not available. Please send appeals via the Iraqi embassy or diplomatic representative in your country, asking them to forward your appeals to:

President

Jalal Talabani

Salutation: Your Excellency

Prime Minister

Nuri Kamil al-Maliki

E-mail: iraqigov@yahoo.com

Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Justice

Safi al-Din al-Safi

E-mail: minister@iraqi-justice.org

deputy@iraqi-justice.org

Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Hoshyar Zebari

E-mail: press@iraqmofa.net

Salutation: Your Excellency

COPIES TO: Ask the Iraqi embassy or diplomatic representative to send copies to the Human Rights Minister, Wajdan Mikhail.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 20 June 2007.