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Three UN Special Rapporteurs expressed alarm Friday at reports that approximately 50 prisoners convicted of terrorism-related crimes in Iraq would be executed on Monday.

This planned mass execution is not the first occurrence. Last month 21 prisoners on death row at Nasiriyah central prison were executed. On November 16 an additional 21 prisoners were executed. According to the UN experts, hundreds of deaths are now imminent after [the prisoners] execution orders had been signed-off.

The UN experts worry that the mass executions are part of a plan to execute all prisoners currently on death row in Iraq, which amounts to approximately 4,000 people.

According to the UN Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR), the Iraqi Anti-Terrorism Law no.13 raises serious human rights concerns due to its vague and overly broad definition of terrorism. The OHCHR states that under the law, an individual can be charged with terrorism and sentenced to death for a non-violent crime committed without intent to terrorize the population. Additionally, the law does not distinguish between different levels of participation, involvement and responsibility in terrorist acts, nor is any assessment made based on the severity of the act.

The UN experts state that under this law, trials have been marked with alarming irregularities. The UN experts noted that defendants are often denied adequate legal representation. Additionally, the UN experts state that defendants have alleged torture and ill-treatment during interrogations, which has not yet been investigated.

Due to these irregularities and the overly broad application of the law, the UN experts strongly urge the Iraqi Government to respect its international legal obligations and to immediately halt further plans to execute prisoners.

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UN rights experts urge Iraq to halt mass executions - JURIST