Najaf court sentences three to death for murder of retired dentist

NAJAF — A criminal court in Najaf on Tuesday sentenced three people to death by hanging for the murder of retired dentist Dr. Faisal Al-Huwaizi, which occurred in his home in the Al-Ghari neighborhood on May 3.

An insider at the court told 964media that the death sentences were handed down to the three individuals involved in Al-Huwaizi’s death.

The primary suspect had previously worked as a driver for Al-Huwaizi, aided by an accomplice and a woman.

Al-Huwaizi was found bound at his hands and feet. Initially, it was reported he died from a gunshot to the head, but it was later determined that a blow to the forehead, causing him to fall onto the bed’s edge, resulted in a fatal skull fracture.

Yusuf Kanawi, governor of Najaf, has said the murder was motivated by theft and not part of a targeted attack on medical professionals in the region.

Iraq has seen targeted attacks against prominent scientific and medical professionals, including doctors, over the past decades, particularly during the Iraqi civil war. While these attacks were often not claimed by any group, they were mostly attributed to Sunni extremist groups.