In response, yesterday I released the following statement to the Philadelphia area press on behalf of Amnesty International:
The decision by Iraq's highest court to uphold Saddam Hussein's death sentence is a step backwards for human rights in Iraq.
While Saddam Hussein is clearly implicated in gross human rights violations that occurred during his reign, Amnesty International believes that his trial was deeply flawed. This flawed system has called into question the capacity of the tribunal, as currently established, to administer justice fairly and in conformity with international standards.
Every person accused of a crime has the right to a fair trial, whatever the magnitude of the charges against them. This right was routinely ignored under Saddam's regime. Now Iraq has a chance to restore this basic right and to ensure fairly established accountability for the crimes of the past. Sadly, this opportunity has been missed in this case, and the situation is made worse by imposition of the death penalty.
Amnesty International strongly urges the Iraqi government to seriously consider other options.
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