Iraq issues death, life sentences in major drug cases
Iraqi courts have handed down two sentences in separate drug trafficking cases, including a death penalty, the Supreme Judicial Council announced on Tuesday.
According to a statement, the Al-Karkh Criminal Court sentenced a drug dealer to death after authorities seized 55 kilograms of marijuana in his possession.
In a separate ruling, the Maysan Criminal Court sentenced another drug dealer to life in prison after he was found in possession of 914 grams of opium intended for sale.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Iraq's crime rate plummets 13% in early 2025
Shafaq News – Baghdad A 13% decrease in criminal incidents was recorded in Iraq during the first half of 2025 compared to the last six months of 2024, the Interior Ministry announced on Thursday. In a statement, the ministry's spokesperson, Colonel Abbas al-Bahadli, explained that the decline 'reflects efforts by law enforcement to curb crime across the country.' On January 29, the Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq noted a 15% drop in crime rates in 2024 compared to 2023, based on data from the Interior Ministry. According to the report, violent crimes—including murder and aggravated assault—fell by 20%. Theft-related crimes, including home and vehicle theft, dropped by 12%, while drug trafficking cases decreased by 18%. Notably, Iraq ranked 8th among Arab countries and 80th globally out of 146 nations in the 2024 Crime Index published by Numbeo, a global platform that tracks crime rates, cost of living, and quality of life indicators.
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Sanctions link: France demands release of nationals from Iran
Shafaq News – Paris/Tehran On Thursday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot vowed that any move to reimpose international sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program will be tied to the release of two French citizens detained in Tehran. 'The release of Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris is an absolute priority for us,' Barrot stated, revealing that a French diplomat has visited Kohler and Paris in an Iranian prison after weeks without contact following an Israeli strike near Evin prison. Kohler, 40, and her partner, Jacques Paris, now in his seventies, were arrested in May 2022 on the final day of their visit to Iran. They have since been accused of espionage for Israel's Mossad, conspiracy to overthrow the regime, and 'corruption on earth'—a serious charge under Iranian law. Kohler's sister confirmed that the couple appeared before a judge who upheld the three charges. In May, France brought a case against Iran before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Tehran of violating consular rights in the detention of both French nationals.
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
+60Kg seized: Security forces arrest two drug traffickers in northern Iraq
Shafaq News – Iraqi Kurdistan Iraqi security forces, in collaboration with Kurdistan Region agencies, arrested two senior drug traffickers and seized a large cache of narcotics in northern Iraq, officials reported on Thursday. The suspects were captured with 62 kilograms of drugs, including crystal meth and marijuana, during a joint operation supported by federal security units, Colonel Salam Abdulkhaliq, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region's Asayish, told Shafaq News, without providing further details on the suspects' identities or the exact arrest location. Meanwhile, the federal General Directorate for Drug Affairs confirmed that coordinated intelligence between al-Karkh and al-Sulaymaniyah anti-narcotics divisions led to the discovery of 41 kilograms of crystal meth and 21 kilograms of marijuana. Iraq sits on key smuggling routes linking Southwest Asia, the Gulf, and Europe. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has repeatedly warned about Iraq's growing role as a transit hub for substances such as Captagon and methamphetamine.
