By Anas al-Bar | 2026-11-06

An Iraqi court has sentenced six French nationals to life imprisonment for their active involvement with the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS).

A seventh French citizen received a reduced sentence of fifteen years following a review of his specific criminal circumstances.

These individuals belong to a group of 47 French citizens transferred from detention centers previously managed by Kurdish forces.

On October 27, the Karkh Investigation Court in Baghdad held a formal hearing attended by the defendants’ appointed defense counsel.

The court handed down life sentences to Al-Khader Al-Sabboui, Adel Bououn, Anas Abdel Rahman, Ziad Ahmed, Benjamin Fanan and Mehdi Ismail.

Meanwhile, the judge issued a fifteen-year prison sentence for Hamza Abdel Ben Abed, a 24-year-old French national of Algerian descent.

The court determined that he did not join the terror group voluntarily but was taken to Syria as a minor.

Judicial clemency for youthful offenders

Iraq’s Anti-Terrorism Law mandates harsh penalties for anyone who joins ISIS to commit acts of violence against civilians.

However, the presiding judge, Mohammed Salman, chose to commute the death sentences to life imprisonment for these specific convicted defendants.

He stated the court reduced the sentences, citing their youth, to provide an opportunity for future self-rehabilitation and change.

Under the Iraqi Penal Code, judges maintain the authority to commute sentences by weighing the perpetrator’s age and humanitarian standards.

The defense team is currently expected to file formal appeals for these verdicts before the Iraqi Court of Cassation soon.

Ensuring justice through transparent trials

Security analyst Fadel Abu Ragheef said these trials are being conducted strictly according to existing Iraqi laws.

"This ensures the achievement of justice, as these individuals were active fighters who participated in horrific terrorist crimes," he told Al-Fassel.

These trials are not unprecedented; in 2019, the Iraqi judiciary handed death sentences to eleven French citizens, later commuted to life.

The system has processed thousands of hardline terrorists from diverse nations, including Germany and Azerbaijan, demonstrating significant legal professional competence.

"This underscores the competence of the Iraqi judicial system in managing investigations and delivering fair verdicts within the proper framework," abu Ragheef noted.

The Iraqi judiciary has processed 5,704 ISIS members transferred from Syria to the high-security Karkh prison near the Baghdad airport.

These detainees include Iraqi and Syrian nationals, alongside foreign citizens representing approximately 67 other countries.

On September 1, the Karkh Investigation Court announced it had completed the initial questioning of all these high-profile detainees.

The court has now moved to the next judicial phase, referring accused individuals to trial based on specific evidence.