Thousands transferred from Syria to Iraq face possible execution over alleged IS links, HRW says
Thousands transferred from Syria to Iraq face possible execution over alleged IS links, HRW says Submitted by Alex MacDonald on Mon, 10/05/2026 - 13:16 Dozens of countries have stalled repatriating their nationals as Baghdad prepares to prosecute alleged Islamic State members under its counterterrorism law An Iraqi police patrol transports Iraqi detainees into the grounds of the Karkh Courthouse…
The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned that thousands of men and boys, transferred from Syria to Iraq, are at risk of abuse and unfair prosecution for alleged links to the Islamic State (IS). Nearly 5,700 individuals, including 3,500 from Syria and 2,200 from Iraq, along with 65 others from various countries, face potential execution under Iraq's counterterrorism law.
Many of these individuals were held in life-threatening conditions in northeast Syria for up to seven-and-a-half years before being transferred to Iraq between January 21 and February 12, 2026. Letta Tayler, a senior counterterrorism advisor at HRW, stated that these detainees, who include both men and boys, deserve humane treatment and due process.
The international community should not leave Iraq to manage this responsibility alone. HRW also highlighted concerns over widespread torture, unsanitary conditions, and deaths in custody among the detainees.
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