Officer convicted in Iraq killing of frequent militia critic

BAGHDAD — An Iraqi police officer was convicted and sentenced to loss of life Sunday within the killing of a outstanding safety analyst and frequent critic of highly effective militias. The ruling got here almost three years after the analyst was gunned down exterior his Baghdad residence following militia threats.

The household of the sufferer, Hisham al-Hashimi, stated it supported the decision, however expressed concern it might be overturned on attraction. A relative of al-Hashimi, talking on situation of anonymity for concern of reprisals, alleged that those that ordered the killing stay at massive.

The defendant, Ahmed Hamdawi al-Kinani, was convicted on a terrorism cost and sentenced to loss of life by a prison court docket, in line with Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council. The case was referred to an appeals court docket. A video of his purported confession was launched after his arrest two years in the past.

Al-Hashimi, 47, was gunned down in July 2020 in entrance of his residence in Baghdad by two attackers on a bike after receiving threats from Iran-backed militias. His killing was captured on a surveillance digicam. The photos stoked a local weather of concern amongst activists who’ve accused the federal government of failing to rein within the highly effective armed teams.

Al-Hashimi had grow to be well-known as an knowledgeable on the Islamic State group and suggested the U.S.-led coalition throughout its years-long battle towards the extremists.

Following the territorial defeat of IS in December 2017, he turned an outspoken critic of the rising affect of Iran-backed militias that helped to defeat IS. Al-Hashimi reportedly obtained a number of threats from such teams within the interval earlier than his loss of life.

Al-Kinani recognized himself as a police officer with the rank of first lieutenant within the video aired on state media in 2021. Shortly after his arrest, two safety officers talking on situation of anonymity instructed The Associated Press that he was linked to a militia however didn’t specify which one.

His purported confession didn’t acknowledge any hyperlinks to armed teams.

Successive governments have been criticized for permitting militias to function with impunity. Critics say many authorities and safety officers have ties to such militias.

The killings of activists and different crucial voices turned extra frequent in Iraq throughout a crackdown on a mass protest motion that erupted in 2019, with many blaming Iran-backed militias.

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