EU deplores Iraqi capital punishment

BRUSSELS, June 15 (UPI) -- The European Union expressed concerns over the number of reports of capital punishment coming from Iraq, saying it undermined national reconciliation efforts.

The EU said it was "deeply disturbed" over reports that as many as 20 death sentences were carried out in Iraq in recent days, warning more were "imminent."

Amnesty International raised similar complaints following the decision to carry out the executions of 12 people in May.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had warned members of the former regime of Saddam Hussein accused of launching chemical weapons attacks on Kurdish guerrillas and civilians would be executed if found guilty.

Coalition Provisional Authority Administrator L. Paul Bremer suspended capital punishment in 2003 following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein.

Baghdad resumed executions in 2004, however, hanging Saddam in 2006.

The EU condemned the executions, saying the decision to carry out capital punishment "does not help" Iraq as it struggles to emerge from years of war.

"We consider that it provides no added value in terms of deterrence," a declaration by the EU said.