BAGHDAD, Iraq — An Iraqi court has sentenced to death a man accused of the kidnapping and killing of five Russian Embassy employees, the Iraqi Cabinet said.
The Cabinet said in a statement that the Russian workers were kidnapped in 2004 while on a project to rehabilitate a power station, but the description appeared to refer to an incident in 2006 when gunmen shot dead a Russian Embassy employee and kidnapped four others. The four were also killed later, one of them by beheading.
The statement said it was the work of terrorist organizations, including al-Qaida, with the aim of forcing countries to withdraw diplomatic personnel.
The statement, which did not identify the defendant, said he had been convicted of "the crime of kidnapping and killing five Russian civil servants working in the Russian Embassy."
Many diplomats and foreign workers were targeted during the worst period of Iraq's sectarian bloodshed in 2006 and 2007, particularly in the capital, Baghdad.
In 2004, gunmen killed one Russian and kidnapped two others who were working for a company contracted for a power plant project south of Baghdad. Eight of the company's workers also were kidnapped in April that year.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.