Iraq justice ministry announces execution of 22 convicts

Baghdad: Iraq has executed 22 people over the past month who were convicted of terrorism and other crimes, the justice minister has announced.

The ministry "carried out death sentences against 22 convicts condemned for crimes and terrorist acts," Justice Minister Haidar al-Zamili said in a statement.

It also quoted Zamili as saying that, with the start of the Iraqi operation to retake the city of Fallujah from the Islamic State group, "we confirm... That the ministry is continuing to carry out just punishment against terrorists."

Rights group Amnesty International said that Baghdad executed at least 26 people in 2015.

Iraq has faced widespread criticism from diplomats, analysts and human rights groups who say that due to a flawed justice system, those being executed are not necessarily guilty of the crimes for which they were sentenced to die.

But the country has repeatedly defied such criticism and continues carrying out executions.