BAGHDAD (AP) — Baghdad's central criminal court says it has sentenced a Russian national to death by hanging for his membership in the Islamic State group.

The court said in a statement late Tuesday the man was arrested as Iraqi forces pushed the extremist group out of Mosul's western half, the first phase of the operation to retake Iraq's second largest city from IS that was launched in October of last year and declared complete in July.

The statement said the individual was tried under Iraq's anti-terrorism law and confessed to carrying out "terrorist operations," against Iraqi security forces since 2015.

Human rights groups criticize Iraq's widespread use of the death penalty.

In 2016, Iraq executed more than 88 people, topped only by Saudi Arabia, Iran and China, according to Amnesty international.