An Iraqi court issued a death sentence today, Sunday, for a policeman convicted of leading a group that killed prominent analyst and government advisor Hisham al-Hashimi by gunfire three years ago in Baghdad. Al-Hashimi, who advised the government on combating ISIS fighters and curbing the influence of Iran-backed Shiite armed factions, was killed outside his family home in Baghdad in July 2020 when gunmen on motorcycles sprayed him with a hail of bullets.
A statement from the media center of the Supreme Judicial Council reported that "a court in Baghdad issued a death sentence for Ahmed Hamdawi based on Iraqi anti-terrorism law." Media were not allowed to attend the court session, but a lawyer present stated that "Hamdawi did not say anything in court in response to the judge's ruling."
A spokesperson for the Supreme Judicial Council in Baghdad said "he has the right to appeal the ruling." At the time of the murder, government officials indicated that al-Hashimi was targeted in the attack without accusing any specific group. Al-Hashimi wrote about politics, ISIS, and the role of Iran-backed armed factions in Iraq. Officials from the Iran-aligned paramilitary factions denied any involvement in his assassination. Although some ISIS supporters expressed joy over his killing, no group claimed responsibility for the act.
