Dhi Qar court hands defendant three death sentences for killing family

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A criminal court in Iraq's southern Dhi Qar province sentenced a defendant to death three times after convicting him of killing a family from the southern city of Basra, a local security source said. The Dhi Qar Criminal Court issued the ruling on Monday. The defendant was found guilty of killing a father, his wife and their children in central Nasiriya in late 2024, according to the source. The court based its ruling on Article 406 of Iraq's Penal Code No. 111 of 1969, as amended, which governs penalties for intentional homicide and similar grave offenses. Authorities said the sentence remains subject to appeal. The defendant's legal defense was rejected during the proceedings. The case comes amid continued attention in southern Iraq to incidents of family and domestic violence. No further details on the appeal process were immediately available.