Baruch Hashem: Death Sentence Annulled for Binyamin Chasin in Iraq After Large Sum Secured

In a miraculous turn of events that concludes a decade-long saga of fear and desperate tefillos, the death sentence facing Binyamin (ben Limor) Chasin in Iraq has been officially nullified, askanim reported Thursday. A Kurdish judge formally rescinded the verdict following the successful completion of a “sulcha” (reconciliation agreement) with the family of a man who died after attacking Chasin.

The annulment comes after an international pidyon shvuyim campaign, led by prominent rabbanim and askanim working alongside legal advocates, who spearheaded the “Zachreinu L’Chaim” campaign. Klal Yisroel responded powerfully, with over 6,000 individuals contributing to the $250,000 fund required by the family to revoke their demand for execution under Islamic law.

Binyamin’s harrowing ordeal began in 2014. Born in Iraqi Kurdistan before immigrating to Eretz Yisrael and Canada, he returned at age 21 to visit his elderly grandparents. He arrived just as the ISIS terror group began its brutal rampage across the region. Witnessing the atrocities, Binyamin joined local Kurdish forces to protect their towns.

In 2015, this act of bravery led to tragedy. A taxi driver, upon overhearing Binyamin speaking Hebrew, became hostile and threatened to hand him over to ISIS terrorists. A struggle ensued, and the driver was wounded, later succumbing to his injuries.

What followed was a nightmare of arrest and brutal torture. Rabbi Avraham (Alan) Lowy, an askan with extensive experience in pidyon shvuyim who traveled to Iraq multiple times, reported finding Binyamin “physically broken… trembling, and spitting blood” as a result of his captivity.

In August 2020, a Kurdish court handed down the dreadful death sentence, by hanging.

Negotiators – including renowned attorney Alan Dershowitz – worked tirelessly behind the scenes. They first managed a critical transfer, moving Binyamin from the dangerous, Iranian-influenced Sulaymaniyah prison to a safer facility in Erbil. This move bought precious time, though the threat of execution remained constant.

After years of delicate negotiations, the deceased”s family finally agreed to accept the sulcha. With the funds now secured and transferred, the family’s forgiveness was recognized by the court, and the gezeirah has, baruch Hashem, been annulled, bringing this terrifying chapter to a close.