[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Nov. 6


IRAQ:

The Saddam Hussein Verdict


Saddam Husseins horrendous crimes deserve exemplary punishment. During his
own dictatorship, that would have meant a gruesome death, after a staged
trial or no trial.

In an Iraq fully liberated from his evil thrall, it might have been
something very different  an exemplary exercise in the rule of law, aimed
at holding Mr. Hussein fully accountable, but also at healing and
educating a nation he so ruthlessly divided.

Regrettably, yesterday's sentence to death by hanging in a case involving
the execution of 148 Shiites in the 1980s fell somewhere short of that
goal. Mr. Hussein got a fairer trial than he ever would have allowed in
his courts. But Iraq got neither the full justice nor the full fairness it
deserved. President Bush overreached in calling the trial "a milestone in
the Iraqi peoples efforts to replace the rule of a tyrant with the rule of
law."

>From the beginning, the now dominant Shiite and Kurdish politicians have
been determined to use Mr. Husseins trial and punishment to further their
own political ends, as Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki has continued
to do in recent days.

Mr. Hussein, as expected, repeatedly tried to mock the proceedings. More
seriously, powerful politicians regularly tried to influence the outcome,
judges were not allowed to rule impartially, and defense lawyers were
denied security measures and documents they needed.

The appeals court that will now review the verdict can undo some of the
damage by taking into account some of these deficiencies. At least, it
should defer the carrying out of any death penalty long enough to allow
the completion of a 2nd trial, in which Mr. Hussein is charged with
ordering genocidal massacres against the Kurds.

(source: Editorial, New York Times)

******************

Blair opposes death penalty for 'Saddam or anybody else'


Tony Blair today said he was opposed to the death penalty for Saddam
Hussein but backed Iraqs right to decide the deposed dictator's fate,
saying that his trial served as a reminder to the world of his "barbaric
brutality."

In a heated exchange with reporters at his monthly press conference, an
increasingly irritated Prime Minister refused to be drawn on whether he
personally supported yesterdays Iraqi court verdict that the former leader
should be executed, insisting that the issue had already been answered by
Margaret Beckett, the Foreign Secretary.

Asked repeatedly about his own position, he retorted, clearly annoyed:
"That is just enough, thank you very much. I happen to want to express
myself in my own way if you dont mind."

But he eventually conceded: "We are against the death penalty, whether its
Saddam or anybody else."

Last night, Ms Beckett issued a statement saying that she welcomed the
fact that Saddam and the other defendants had been held to account for
their crimes, and that it was "right that those accused of such crimes
against the Iraqi people should face Iraqi justice."

She later added: "It is absolutely the case that we do not approve of the
death penalty, never have and always try to persuade others not to use it.
However, this is the verdict of the Iraqi court, it is a matter for the
government of Iraq."

Mr Blair reiterated this position, saying the decision on how the former
dictator should be punished for his crimes was one for Iraqs courts.

"I think what is important about this is to recognise that this trial of
Saddam, which has been handled by the Iraqis themselves and they will take
the decision about this, does give us a very clear reminder of the total
and barbaric brutality of that regime," he said.

"That does not alter our position on the death penalty at all, but it
simply does give us a reminder of that."

There were "other and bigger issues to talk about" in Iraq than the
possible execution, he said, adding that the trial helped "point the way
to the only future... a non-sectarian Iraq in which people from different
communities live together and decide their future through democracy."

"I dont underestimate for a single instant the difficulties involved in
achieving that, but its a battle worth fighting," Mr Blair said.

The death sentence was handed down in dramatic courtroom scenes yesterday,
with Saddam defiantly interrupting the judge by shouting "God is great"
and "You are servants of the occupiers" as he was told that he would be
hanged.

The question of Iraq arose frequently at the briefing, in which the Prime
Minister outlined his plans for a national register and ID cards in the
UK, insisting that the proposals would bring lasting benefits in both the
fight against organised crime and terrorism, as well as protecting
vulnerable people and making it easier to access services.

He confirmed that all non-EU nationals will need to carry ID cards in
order to seek employment or access public services from 2008.

The Prime Minister also refused to be drawn on the cash-for-honours
scandal, saying that he had "nothing to say" on the row over the possible
involvement of the Attorney General in any decision to prosecute over
claims of wrong-doing.

Lord Goldsmith - who attends Cabinet and is seen as a close ally of Mr
Blair - has repeatedly refused to rule out playing a part in decisions
affecting his own Government colleagues.

(source: The (London) Times)

**************

Iraqi president says he signed petition against death penalty


Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said Monday he had once signed an
international petition against the death penalty, but that the death
sentence on Saddam Hussein could be carried out without his signature.
"It's true that I once signed a petition against capital punishment, but
the signature of the president is not necessary" to execute Saddam,
Talabani said at the Institute of the Arab World in Paris.

"Once all the avenues of appeal have been exhausted, the verdict becomes
enforceable," he said.

Talabani, who is on a 1-week visit to France, said Saddam should "be
judged for all his crimes" before he is put to death.

On Sunday, Saddam and 2 co-defendants were sentenced to die by hanging for
their roles in the 1982 killing of 148 Shiites in the village of Dujail
following an attempt on Saddam's life there.

(source: German Press Agency)

************

Too soon for Canada to comment on Saddam death sentence: MacKay


Canadas foreign affairs minister says its too soon to comment on the death
sentence handed down Sunday to ousted Iraqi despot Saddam Hussein.

Echoing the words of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Peter MacKay said hed
rather reserve passing judgment or making any firm public declarations on
the matter until the appeals process is complete.

While MacKay said the process will likely just "delay the inevitable," he
added the decision could have an impact on the ground in Iraq that must be
closely monitored.

MacKays comments came in Toronto following a speech at a United Jewish
Appeal Federation dinner in which he affirmed Canadas support of Israel.

(source: The Canadian Press)

*************

Arab media mixed on Saddam sentence


In the absence of official an reaction, the death sentence issued against
deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein drew mixed comments by the Arab
media Monday.

Semi-official Saudi newspapers saw in the death rulings against Saddam and
2 of his aides a boost for U.S. President George W. Bush's Republican
Party on the eve of mid-term Congressional elections scheduled for
Tuesday.

"The timing of the sentences might serve the American president whose
party is running tough elections against Democrats," daily al-Riyadh said.

Daily al-Jazeera said "the death sentence against Saddam will affect in
one way or another the course of the Congressional elections."

"Bush and his party are looking for everything that could serve their
electoral campaign, and the death penalties issued against Saddam and his
half-brother, Barzan al-Takriti, will be considered a political victory
for Bush," the paper said.

Daily al-Balad, on the other hand, contended that "putting Saddam to death
is a very normal conclusion of the history of a controversial ruler who
planted terror and death in Iraq but safeguarded its unity and
independence which are in great danger at present after the (U.S.)
occupation."

Saddam and his 2 aides were convicted of crimes against humanity for the
massacre of Shiites in Dujail in 1982.

Libya's official daily al-Jamahiriyah asked about the fate of killers in
other "Dujail cases," in reference to hundreds of thousands of Iraqis
killed since the U.S. invasion in March 2003.

"Regardless of whether we are with or against, what happened was just a
comedy that even the nave would not believe," it said.

(source: UPI)