Iraqi court sentences militiaman to 15 years over kidnapping of US journalist Shelly Kittleson

A Baghdad court has handed down a 15-year prison sentence to Amir Rahim Jabbar Lazim, a member of the influential Kataib Hezbollah militia, for his involvement in the kidnapping of American journalist Shelly Rene Kittleson. The ruling, issued by the Central Criminal Court on Sunday, highlights Iraq's efforts to assert state control over Iran-backed armed groups.

Lazim was convicted under Iraq’s Anti-Terrorism Law for "participating in the kidnapping of the American journalist Shelly Rene Kittleson" on March 31 in Baghdad. He was driving the vehicle used in the abduction. The pro-Iranian militia later announced the release of Kittleson on April 7, accusing her of collaborating with the US to gather information against armed factions.

Kittleson, a seasoned journalist who has covered Iraq, Syria, and the broader Middle East for over two decades, was freed in exchange for the release of other Kataib Hezbollah members from government custody. In a separate case, the court also sentenced two men to 15 years for rocket attacks on diplomatic missions in Baghdad's heavily guarded Green Zone, including the US embassy.

These high penalties reflect Iraq's determination to hold militias accountable for crimes linked to their activities. The verdicts come as Iraq faces mounting pressure from the US and Gulf countries to integrate non-state actors under state control. Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi's government has set a deadline of September 30 for such groups to surrender their weapons, coinciding with the withdrawal of US and other foreign forces from Iraq.