Responding to reports that a British employee of a security company working in Iraq may face a death sentence, Amnesty International UK Media Director Mike Blakemore said:

“It’s right that private military and security company employees like Danny Fitzsimons are not placed above the law when they’re working in places like Iraq and it’s right that the Iraqi authorities are set to investigate this very serious incident.

“However, as with all capital cases, Amnesty would strenuously oppose the application of the death penalty if applied to Mr Fitzsimons in this case.

“Iraq has a dreadful record of unfair capital trials and at least 34 people were hanged in the country last year alone.

“The important thing now is that if Danny Fitzsimons is put on trial he is allowed a fair trial process without resort to the cruelty of a death sentence.”