The European Union (EU) said on Monday that it is deeply disturbed at reports that mass executions were carried out in Iraq in the past days and is alarmed about indications that further mass executions might be imminent.

"The European Union is particularly disturbed about the way in which the death penalty is applied in Iraq, a country where the judiciary is still being developed," said the Czech Republic, which holds the rotating EU presidency, in a statement.

"The EU recalls that any miscarriage or failure of justice in the application of capital punishment represents an irreparable and irreversible loss of human life," it added.

At a time where a positive image of Iraq and of its achievements is emerging, the resumption of the execution of capital punishment affects that image and does not help the effort aiming at promoting the awareness of the positive developments in Iraq within the international community and public opinion, it noted.

The EU urges the Iraqi government to resume the de facto suspension of the execution of death penalty, which had been observed in Iraq since August 2007, it said.

The EU opposes the death penalty in all cases and in all circumstances, said the statement.

Source: Xinhua