The Facts
According to local security officials, Baghdad executed at least 11 Iraqi nationals — convicted of terrorism charges — at a prison in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah on Monday.
The alleged terrorists belonged to the country's Salahaddin province and were handed capital punishment reportedly for their affiliation with the Islamic State militant group.
The Spin
Narrative A
It's concerning that Iraq has yet again carried out death penalties delivered in sham trials that fail to meet international human rights standards. These effectively amount to arbitrary killings.
Narrative B
People on death row bear responsibility for massacres and deserve no mercy. Iraq must be praised for punishing those involved in terror activities in accordance with the rule of law.
