Three Swedes sentenced to death in Iraq for alleged involvement in shooting death of Iraqi man

Stockholm summons Iraqi chargé d’affaires to protest verdict

4 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –

At least three Swedish citizens have been sentenced to death in Iraq for their alleged involvement in a deadly shooting in the Iraqi capital Baghdad in January, Swedish authorities said, and they have summoned the country’s chargé d’affaires to protest the verdict.

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said in a statement that the three citizens have been convicted in connection with the death of Iraqi citizen Mustafa Aljiburi, known as ‘Benzema’, who is believed to have previously led a gang in Sweden.

The Swedish minister has thus stated that he has managed to confirm the sentence, which was allegedly imposed on the three citizens last June, according to the Swedish television channel SVT.

The Swedish Embassy in Iraq has said it is in contact with local authorities, as well as with the Swedish citizens – who are in custody – and their families and friends.

The Foreign Ministry has said that one of them has been convicted of drug trafficking offences, although it regretted not being able to confirm this information as it has not yet managed to identify him.