August 4
IRAQ:
Iraqi defence minister favours death penalty for Saddam
Iraqi Defence Minister Hazem al-Shaalan said in remarks published on
Wednesday that former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein should be sentenced
to death for his crimes.
Shaalan said in an interview with the Kuwaiti daily Al-Anbaa that keeping
Saddam alive was "very uncomforting for the victims of his crimes."
"Saddam should die, this is an unavoidable sentence," he said, referring
to the trial of the former Iraqi leader who was ousted in a US-led
military invasion last year.
"Everything around him speaks of crimes that he had even taught to his
children," he said in reference to Saddam's sons, Uday and Qusay, who were
killed by US troops in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul last year.
Saddam, arrested by US troops in December 2003 and held at a secret
location under US protection, appeared before an Iraqi court on July 1 and
was charged with committing "crimes against humanity".
Shaalan also said his government would request the extradition of senior
members of the former Saddam regime residing abroad.
He said Prime Minister Iyad Allawi had asked Syria to hand over "all
corrupted elements who are on its territory."
Shaalan said his government was specifically due to ask for the
extradition of Mohamed al-Duri, the former Iraqi ambassador to the United
Nations, and former information minister Mohammad Said Al-Sahhaf.
There have been no reports of legal charges against any of the 2 former
Baath party members who are thought to be residing in the United Arab
Emirates.
(source: Agence France Presse)
UNITED NATIONS:
Australian lawyer chosen as UN monitor of extrajudicial and summary
executions
An Australian lawyer with a long record of working for the United Nations
and of teaching law has been appointed Special Rapporteur on
extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.
Philip Alston, currently a professor at New York University and Director
of its Center for Human Rights and Global Justice, was appointed last
month to the post by Ambassador Mike Smith of Australia, Chairman of the
UN Commission on Human Rights, after consulting with representatives of
the Commission's regional groups.
Mr. Alston's task will be to study the incidence of extrajudicial, summary
or arbitrary executions around the world and to make recommendations to
the Commission and to the General Assembly about how to reduce the
practice.
His other previous posts include serving as Chairman of the UN Committee
on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and as the Committee's Rapporteur.
In 1989 he was chosen as a UN Independent Expert to study the long-term
effectiveness of human rights treaty bodies.
2 years ago he was appointed Special Adviser to the UN High Commissioner
for Human Rights on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Mr. Alston
has taught law in Australia, the United States and Italy.
Mr. Alston praised Asma Jahangir of Pakistan, the previous Rapporteur,
"for her tireless efforts to give voice to, and respond to, the pleas of
victims of violations of the right to life."
(source: UN News Centre)
