Iraq declares assaults on diplomatic missions capital crime

Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council President Faiq Zaidan warned that attacks on diplomatic missions pose a serious threat to the country’s external security and could be punishable by death under Iraqi law, Shafaq News reports.

In an article titled “The Crime of Attacking Diplomatic Missions,” Zaidan stressed the critical role such missions play in international relations. He said diplomatic missions represent their countries abroad and include embassies, consulates, ambassadors’ residences, and official mission property, describing them as “among the most important pillars of international relations” that facilitate political, economic, and cultural cooperation between states.

“These missions enjoy special protection under international law, most notably the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” Zaidan noted. “Therefore, any attack on these missions constitutes a serious crime that affects the entire international order.”

Zaidan outlined various forms of violations, including sabotage, threats, physical assaults, blockades, and attempts to obstruct diplomatic work. He emphasized that such acts go beyond causing physical damage or casualties, warning they could spark diplomatic crises or even lead to a breakdown in relations between states.

“International law recognizes the principle of the inviolability of diplomatic missions, obligating the receiving state to take all necessary measures to protect these missions from any attack, intrusion, or damage,” he said.

He cautioned that failure to meet these obligations could expose a country to international accountability, including political or economic sanctions or diplomatic isolation. Zaidan pointed out that Iraq’s Penal Code No. 111 of 1969 classifies attacks on diplomatic missions as crimes affecting the country’s external security and international relations.

He further noted that the Counter-Terrorism Law No. 13 of 2005, specifically Article 2 (Paragraph 6), treats assaults on embassies and diplomatic facilities as terrorist acts “punishable by death.”

According to Zaidan, these legal provisions underscore Iraq’s commitment to safeguarding national security, upholding international standards, and deterring attacks on diplomatic missions due to their serious consequences for both the state and the broader international community.

By Vafa Guliyeva