Amnesty condemns Saddam trial, death sentences

London (ANTARA News) - Amnesty International on Sunday condemned the death sentences handed to Saddam Hussein and two of his senior allies, describing their trial as a "shabby affair".

The London-based human rights group -- which opposes capital punishment -- said the trial should have helped the process of establishing justice and the rule of law in Iraq but was in fact "deeply flawed and unfair".

"This trial should have been a major contribution towards establishing justice and the rule of law in Iraq, and in ensuring truth and accountability for the massive human rights violations perpetrated by Saddam Hussein's rule," Malcolm Smart, director of the Middle East and North Africa programme, was quoted by AFP as saying.

"In practice, it has been a shabby affair, marred by serious flaws that call into question the capacity of the tribunal, as currently established, to administer justice fairly, in conformity with international standards."

Amnesty charged that "political interference undermined the independence and impartiality of the court", prompting the first presiding judge to resign and the appointment of another to be blocked.

The court also failed to take adequate measures to protect witnesses and defence lawyers, three of whom were killed during the trial, it added.

Saddam himself was denied access to legal counsel for the first year after his arrest, while there appeared to have been inadequate responses to complaints by lawyers throughout the judicial process, Amnesty said.

"Every accused has a right to a fair trial, whatever the magnitude of the charge against them. This plain fact was routinely ignored through the decades of Saddam Hussein's tyranny," Smart continued.

"His overthrow opened the opportunity to restore this basic right and, at the same time, to ensure, fairly, accountability for the crimes of the past. It is an opportunity missed."

Amnesty's charges were backed by some British Muslim groups, who said there would now be no opportunity to force Saddam to explain issues surrounding the Iran-Iraq war and the invasion of Kuwait.

The moderate Muslim Council of Britain, an umbrella group of more than 400 organisations, said it was questionable whether Saddam received a fair trial.

MCB general-secretary Muhammad Abdul Bari also said: "There will be many in the Muslim world who will be asking when those responsible for launching the calamitous war in Iraq, in which tens of thousands on innocent people have died, will also be brought to justice."

The Stop the War Coalition's Andrew Burgin went further: "The trial of Saddam should be followed very closely by the trial of (US President) George Bush and (British Prime Minister) Tony Blair who have managed to surpass his achievements by being responsible for killing more Iraqis than him."

Saddam was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity for his role in ordering the deaths of 148 Shiite villagers in the village of Dujail, north of Baghdad.

Amnesty said it would follow closely the appeal stage, the procedure for which begins Monday, saying the Supreme Iraqi Criminal Tribunal had a chance to "redress the flaws" of the Dujail trial in future proceedings. (*)

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November 6, 2006