Canadian-Israeli Man Spared Death Penalty in Iraq After 11 Years

A Canadian-Israeli dual citizen of Kurdish descent, who has spent the last 11 years in prison in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, was spared execution on Wednesday. His death sentence was removed following a reconciliation agreement reached last year with the family of a local man whose death he was involved in.

Ben Hassin's release was facilitated by funds raised last year for a reconciliation process, known as a sulha, which ultimately led to the commutation of his death sentence. International efforts to secure his freedom were spearheaded by lawyer Alan Dershowitz and a group of Hasidic activists from the United States.

Hassin, who also holds Israeli citizenship, is expected to arrive in Israel in the coming days. He expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by Eyal Siso, a former senior official in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who played a significant role in his release.

Hassin was imprisoned for his involvement in a dispute that resulted in the death of a local individual, leading to his conviction and death sentence.