Tuesday, 14 November 2017

Iraq: Death Sentence for Museum Destruction?


As much as I loathe what he is convicted (I hope fairly) of doing, and rejoice that he has been found, I cannot condone this if this is all they've got on him: Nehal Mostafa, 'Islamic State militant sentenced to death for smashing monuments in Mosul', Iraqi News Nov 13, 2017).
The Central Criminal Court in Baghdad has sentenced an Islamic State member to death over taking part in several crimes including smashing and stealing of monuments in Mosul. Abdul Sattar Bir Qadar, spokesperson for the High Judicial Council, said in a statement that the court sentenced the suspect to death “Over conviction for taking part in terrorist crimes including the smashing of monuments in Mosul .” He added that the suspect admitted to affiliation to the group’s State of the North. “He took part in smashing and stealing of monuments from Mosul museum.” “The court found enough evidence and decreed the death sentence against the suspect in accordance with the fourth article of countering terrorism law,” he said. The group, which considered sculptures as symbols of infidelity, posted footage showing its members axing down priceless Assyrian, Akkadian, Babylonian, Persian and Roman artifacts, many of them two millennia old or older, drawing international condemnation. Reports later showed that some antiquities were sold out in online auctions.

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