July 3
IRAQ:
Saddam deserves justice, not vengeance
Saddam Hussein was his defiant self Thursday as he made his 1st public
appearance since being dragged out of his spider hole 7 months ago.
The former Iraqi tyrant stands accused of war crimes. The new interim
Baghdad government will try him and 11 co-defendants eventually for their
offenses. Let us hope that the new government acts under the rule of law
and not the rule of vengeance.
It is easy to suggest that Saddam Hussein deserves to be treated the way
he treated those whom his so-called "legal system" brought to justice.
That is, convene a kangaroo court that administers a swift verdict - and
then take him out back and shoot him.
It also is wrong.
That would be a reprise of the old, hated way that Saddam ran things in
Iraq.
Americans have not died in battle for that. They have died in an effort to
bring the rule of law to Iraq.
Saddam Hussein is now subject to the laws of the nation he once ruled with
utter brutality. Does he deserve a just punishment? Of course he does. And
if the Iraqi powers that be determine that Saddam should die for his
crimes, then so be it. It is their country, run under their laws.
That punishment, however, must be the product of a fair and public trial,
the kind of justice that is carried out in civilized nations around the
world every single day.
To deny the former dictator a fair trial would be to abandon the very
reason for our nation's going to war in the 1st place.
(source: Editorial, The Amarillo Globe-News)
EUROPE/IRAQ:
Europe divided over Iraqi death penalty, even if for Saddam
The decision to re-establish the death penalty in Iraq ahead of the war
crimes trial of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein evoked a mixed
reaction in Europe, recalling the split across the continent over the war
that toppled the Iraqi leader.
Germany and France, two of the most vocal anti-war opponents, strongly
stated their opposition -- without exception -- to the death penalty and
called on Iraqi authorities to ensure Saddam a fair trial.
In Berlin, the government's top human-rights official, Claudia Roth,
criticized Baghdad's move to reinstate capital punishment, which was
suspended during the US occupation.
"To start out this way does not send a good signal," Roth said on
Thursday. "It would have been a signal of democratic strength had they not
reinstated the death penalty in Iraq."
France called on Iraqi justice officials to hold a trial that conforms to
principles of international law, and the government reiterated its
opposition to the execution of convicts.
The 25-member EU intends to let Iraq know of its opposition to the death
penalty, said Emma Udwin, external relations spokeswoman for the European
Commission.
But while capital punishment is outlawed across the continent, attitudes
hardened further east among the newer EU members, where support for the
war was strong.
Latvian Foreign Ministry spokesman Rets Plesums said that whatever happens
to Saddam after his trial is a matter of concern for Iraq -- not the
Baltic state.
"We are hoping that the new Iraqi courts will conduct the trial as fairly
as possible, but I don't think our government will offer an opinion about
what happens to Saddam Hussein," he said. "It's not our business."
Latvia, also a recent newcomer to NATO, ardently backed the US-led
invasion and contributed more than 100 soldiers to the coalition after
fighting ended last year.
Poland, another supporter of the war, offered a similar view. Poland just
decided to extend its troop deployment of 2,400 soldiers in Iraq until
Dec. 31.
"Our reaction is obvious. This is a sovereign decision of an independent
court and of the Iraqis themselves," said Boguslaw Majewski, spokesman for
Poland's Foreign Ministry.
Roman Kuzniar, a political scientist at the Warsaw University, said the
list of crimes committed by Saddam "would justify the death penalty."
Poland had capital punishment before ousting the Communist government in
1989, then eliminated it in order to join the EU.
Turkey, a Muslim nation with aspirations to join the EU one day, formally
ended executions as part of its bid for membership. But many Turks still
feel capital punishment is justified in some cases.
"The conscience of the people will not be satisfied if he doesn't face the
death penalty," said Bur-han Kuzu, a lawmaker from Turkey's governing
Justice and Development Party. "If they give the death penalty to him,
this decision will not disturb me."
(source: Teipei Times)
PAKISTAN:
8 get Death Penalty in DIG murder case
Anti-Terrorist Court, Sibi, while announcing judgment in murder case of
ex-Deputy Inspector General of Police Sibi Range Abdul Aziz Bullo here
Friday, awarded death penalties to eight accused.
The convicts included Behram Khan, Fazal Mohammad, Bakht Ali, Lal Jan,
Abdul Latif, Ghulam Rasool, Rahim and Peru Khan.
The court, headed by Judge Mohammad Ismail Baloch also sentenced two other
accused Mohammad Ismail and Hadas Khan to 5 years rigorous imprisonment
each in the same case while acquitted another, Abdul Aziz, of the charge
giving him benefit of doubt.
6 other accused involved in the same case have already been killed in
various police encounters on Sindh-Balochistan border. They included Sabir
Hussain, Abdul Fateh, Haroon Kandrani, Abdul Rehman, Mewa Khan and Mian
Bakhsh.
The convicts along with their deceased accomplices had killed DIG Sibi
Range Abdul Aziz Bullo and three other police officials Nawab Khan,
Suleman Khan and another by opening fire on them with sophisticated
weapons during a robbery attempt on Dera Murad Jamali-Nuttal highway on
June 9, 2003. The DIG and police officials were on their way from Dera
Murad Jamali to Nuttal in their official vehicle when they were
intercepted by the convicts.
(source: Pakistan Times)
