Iraq executes Saddam-era officer Saadoun Sabri al-Qaisi

Iraq announced the execution of Saadoun Sabri al-Qaisi, a high-level security officer during Saddam Hussein's rule. Al-Qaisi was convicted of 'grave crimes against humanity,' including his involvement in the 1980 killing of prominent Shiite cleric Mohammed Baqir al-Sadr, members of the Al-Hakim family, and other civilians. Mohammed Baqir al-Sadr was a leading critic of Iraq's secular Ba'athist government, and his opposition intensified after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which heightened Saddam Hussein's fears of a Shiite-led uprising. In 1980, Mohammed Baqir al-Sadr and his sister Amina al-Sadr were arrested, tortured, and executed by hanging. The execution of Saadoun Sabri al-Qaisi is part of Iraq's ongoing efforts since the 2003 US-led invasion to prosecute former officials accused of abuses, though Iraq has faced criticism over its use of the death penalty.