France increases pressure on Iraq not to execute Islamic State convicts

Francesaid Tuesday it was stepping up efforts to stopIraqexecuting four French citizens convicted of fighting alongside the Islamic State (IS) group.

An Iraqi courtonSunday sentenced three French nationals to death for joining the Islamic State group, the first IS members fromFranceto be sentenced to capital punishment.

OnMonday, a fourth French citizen was also condemned to death in Baghdad. The four have 30 days to appeal.

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"We are increasing the steps to avoid the death penalty for these four French citizens," Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian saidonFranceInter radioonTuesday.

"We are opposed to the death penalty... I myself reminded the president ofIraq, President (Barham) Saleh, of our position," he said, without giving further details.

In recent months,Iraqhas taken custody of thousands of jihadists, including foreigners, captured in neighbouring Syria by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) during the battle to destroy the IS "caliphate".

Francehas long insisted that it's adult citizens captured inIraqor Syria must face trial locally, refusing to repatriate them despite the risk they face capital punishment for waging their jihadist war in the region.

Le Drian reaffirmedFrance's refusal to accept any repatriations of its nationals affiliated with IS. "These terrorists,because they are terrorists, who attacked us, who also caused death inIraq, must be judged where they committed their crimes," he said.

The Iraqi judiciary said earlier in May that it has tried and sentenced more than 500 suspected foreign members of IS since the start of 2018.

Its courts have condemned many to live in prison and others to death, although no foreign IS members have yet been executed. The country remains in the top five "executioner" nations in the world, an Amnesty International report said in April.