Trump’s Blackwater pardons anger Iraq
Baghdad urges reviewing amnesty for 4 US security guards convicted of Iraqi killings
Cairo: Iraq has criticized US President Donald Trump’s pardon for American security guards convicted of killing Iraqi civilians in 2007 and called for reconsidering the amnesty.
Earlier this week, Trump pardoned four guards from the US security firm Blackwater as part of a raft of pardons he issued in his final days in office.
The four was convicted of killing 14 Iraqis and injuring others after they opened fire in Al Nisour Square in Baghdad in September 2007.
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry condemned the pardons.
Human rights
This decision has not taken into account the gravity of the perpetrated crime and does not comfort to the US administration’s announced commitment to values of human rights and the rule of law. It regrettably ignores dignity of victims as well as feelings and rights of their families,” the ministry added in a statement.
It said it will follow up the issue with the US government to urge it to “review this decision”.
In 2003, the US led an invasion of Iraq and deposed dictator Saddam Hussein.