Saudi Arabian national ‘Abdullah ‘Azzam Saleh Musfer al-Qahtani, and five Iraqi nationals, including Manaf ‘Abdulrahim ‘Abdulhamid ‘Issa al-Rawi, Mohammad Nouri Matar Yassin, Ibrahim ‘Abdulqader ‘Ali ‘Antik, Safa
Ahmad ‘Abul’aziz ‘Abdullah and Mohammad Jaber Tawfiq ‘Obaid were sentenced to death by the Central Criminal Court in Baghdad, Iraq’s capital, on 16 March 2011. Their sentences were upheld and sent for ratification by the Iraqi Presidency. However according to information received by Amnesty International, only ‘Abdullah ‘Azzam Saleh Musfer al-Qahtani ‘s case was sent back to the Court of Cassation for review of his death sentence after his defence team presented official documents proving that he was already in detention at the time of the alleged crime. The court’s decision is scheduled for 9 September.
The six men are accused of taking part in an armed raid on a goldsmith shop in Baghdad in 2009 during which the two owners were killed. The six men initially “confessed” to being members of al-Qa’ida and carrying out the raid to raise funds for the organization. They later recanted their “confessions” and said they had been extracted under torture and other ill-treatment. Abdullah ‘Azzam Saleh Musfer al-Qahtani told his family he had received electric shocks and had been beaten at the beginning of his detention.
Please write immediately in English or Arabic or your own language:
Calling on the Iraqi authorities not to proceed with the executions of Manaf ‘Abdulrahim ‘Abdulhamid ‘Issa al-Rawi, Mohammad Nouri Matar Yassin, Ibrahim ‘Abdulqader ‘Ali ‘Antik, Safa Ahmad ‘Abul’aziz ‘Abdullah and Mohammad Jaber Tawfiq ‘Obaid;
Urging them to overturn the death sentence against ‘Abdullah ‘Azzam Saleh Musfer al-Qahtani;
Expressing concern that the six men may not have received a fair trial in line with international standards and consular assistance;
Urging the authorities to declare an official moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty, and to commute without delay all death sentences;
Insisting that, while recognizing governments have an obligation to bring to justice those responsible for serious crimes, the death penalty violates the right to life and is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 19 OCTOBER 2012 TO:
Prime Minister and Acting Minister of Defence and Interior
His Excellency Nuri Kamil al-Maliki, Prime Minister
Convention Centre (Qasr al-Ma’aridh)
Baghdad,
Iraq
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of Human Rights
His Excellency Mohammad Shayaa
al-Sudani
Convention Centre (Qasr al-Ma’aridh)
Baghdad,
Iraq
Salutation: Your Excellency
And copies to:
Minister of Justice
Hassan al-Shammari
Convention Centre (Qasr al-Ma’aridh)
Baghdad,
Iraq
Salutation: Your Excellency
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please insert local diplomatic addresses below:
Name Address 1 Address 2 Address 3 Fax Fax number Email Email address Salutation Salutation
Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date.
URGENT ACTION
SIX MEN AT RISK OF EXECUTION IN IRAQ
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The death penalty has been used extensively in Iraq. Hundreds of people have been sentenced to death since capital punishment was reinstated by the Iraqi government in 2004, following a one-year suspension by the then head of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), Paul Bremer. The government gives very little information, such as statistics, regarding executions, in violation on international standards on transparency. Hundreds of people are said to be under sentence of death. Amnesty International is opposed to the death penalty in all cases because it is a violation of two fundamental human rights, as laid down in Articles 3 and 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: the right to life and the right not to be tortured or subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The organization considers the death penalty to be the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.
Amnesty International has repeatedly condemned human rights abuses by armed groups in Iraq, and continues to call for those responsible to be brought to justice, in trials which comply with the most rigorous internationally recognized standards for fair trial, and without recourse to the death penalty.
On 23 July 2012 the Iraqi Ministry of Interior published on its website news from the chief of police in Anbar province, west of Baghdad confirming that the Court of Cassation had upheld 196 death sentences and that he hoped they would be implemented soon. It is unclear if any of the 196 death sentences have already been ratified by the Iraqi Presidential Council (see: Iraq urged to halt executions after 196 death sentences upheld, ADD DATE, http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/iraq-urged-halt-executions-after-196-death-sentences-upheld-2012-07-24).
On 27 August the Iraqi Ministry of Justice reportedly announced that 21 people including a Saudi Arabian national and three women had been executed. The lawyer of Mazen Mohammad Nashi Mahoul al-Mussawi, a Saudi Arabian national, reportedly stated that his execution was carried out despite his execution being stayed and his sentence being considered by the Court of Appeal. Two days later, on 29 August, the Ministry also announced that five people had been executed (see: ’Iraq must halt executions’ (MDE 14/011/2012): http://amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE14/011/2012/en).
The total number of people executed so far this year in Iraq to at least 96.
Names: ‘Abdullah ‘Azzam Saleh Musfer al-Qahtani, Manaf ‘Abdulrahim ‘Abdulhamid ‘Issa al-Rawi, Mohammad Nouri Matar Yassin, Ibrahim ‘Abdulqader ‘Ali ‘Antik, Safa Ahmad ‘Abul’aziz ‘Abdullah and Mohammad Jaber Tawfiq ‘Obaid
Gender m/f: m