The long way home: Free after decade in Iraqi prison, Benjamin Hassin begins new life in Jerusalem

Benjamin Hassin, a Canadian-Israeli who spent over a decade in an Iraqi prison after being sentenced to death, has begun a new life in Jerusalem. He was arrested in 2015 for shooting a taxi driver in self-defense and sentenced to death in 2020. His sentence was annulled in November 2025 after a sulha agreement. He arrived in Israel in September 2026 and is now studying at Aish Hatorah Yeshiva.

Benjamin Hassin, a 31-year-old Canadian-Israeli, has begun a new life in Jerusalem after spending more than a decade in Iraqi prisons, including nearly five years under a death sentence. He landed in Israel just over a month ago, on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, after being released from Iraqi custody. Hassin was arrested in 2015 after shooting a taxi driver in self-defense when the driver threatened to hand him over to ISIS after hearing him speak Hebrew. He was sentenced to death in October 2020, but the sentence was annulled in November 2025 following a sulha agreement that involved $200,000 in funds raised to persuade the victim's family to accept a reduced sentence. Hassin described harsh conditions during his imprisonment, including physical abuse, sleep deprivation, and being held in overcrowded cells. He is now studying at Aish Hatorah Yeshiva in Jerusalem and spoke to The Jerusalem Post about his ordeal.