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Saddam trial ânul and voidâ: Union of Arab Lawyers
The Cairo-based Union of Arab Lawyers denounced Saddam Husseinâs trial on Wednesday and claimed the head of the Special Iraqi Tribunal trying the deposed dictator was linked with an Israeli law firm. The âconditions under which (Saddam) was arrested (and) prosecuted totally fail to respect either judicial procedures or international charters related to human rights and fair trial,â the union said in a statement. âTherefore this trial is nul and void, in all its procedures and verdicts.â It said the handing of the former president as a prisoner of war to Iraqi authorities by the occupation forces violated the Geneva Conventions. âThe court in front of which President Saddam Hussein is being tried is a special exceptional court established by the so-called Interim Governing Authority,â the statement continued. âThis authority itself was formed by a decree issued by Paul Bremer, the (former) representative of the American occupation in Iraq,â it said, implying the court was illegitimate.The union also claimed the new interim government amended the Iraqi penal code to insert a statue sanctioning the death penalty especially for the Saddam trial. It also charged the Iraqi media formed by the occupation authorities was biased against Saddam and already decided he is guilty and should be sentenced to death. It finally alleged that Salem Chalabi, who is presiding over the tribunal handling the crimes of the old regime, was affiliated with a law firm âin the Zionist entity (Israel) which is in a state of war with Iraq.â It did not name the firm or give any evidence to back up its charge. Posted by: TS(vice girl) 2004-07-07 |
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