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Saddam's death penalty appeal underway
Last updated at 16:22pm on 06.11.06
Sentenced to death: Saddam Hussein
Tony Blair declared that he was opposed to the death penalty for Saddam Hussein.
But the Prime Minister stressed that the former Iraqi dictator's trial proved why the US-led invasion had been worthwhile overall.
A tetchy Mr Blair initially refused to comment directly on sentencing of Saddam by an Iraqi tribunal into his crimes against humanity. Yet after repeated clashes with reporters at his monthly Downing Street press briefing, he said: "We are against he death penalty, whether it is for addam or anyone else."
Video...
The moment Saddam was handed the death penalty
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• Blair on Saddam: We oppose death penalty, whoever it is
• So what is going to happen next?
• The moments of drama … and farce
• Key dates in the life of Saddam Hussein
• Profile: The life and times of Saddam Hussein
• Verdict welcomed despite doubts over trial
• How Saddam Hussein was captured
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• Iraqis react to Saddam's death sentence
• Inside Saddam's hiding place
The former Iraqi leader was beginning his appeal against the sentence as doubts emerged about about how soon it could be carried out. Under the country's law, he will be hanged within 30 days of an appeal being rejected.
The appeal process could take between a month and two years.
Mr Blair at first tried to cite Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett's statement on the trial yesterday, which set out formally that the UK was opposed to capital punishment as a matter of policy.
He angrily attacked reporters who asked for his personal opinion on the issue, declaring he did not want words put into his mouth.
But when asked repeatedly to give an answer, he made clear that he did not believe Saddam should be executed.
Mr Blair refused to claim the former dictator's sentence as a turning point in the conflict but said it acted as a "clear reminder of the total and barbaric brutality" of his regime. There were "other and bigger issues to talk about" in Iraq than the possible execution, he said.
Some Iraqi lawyers are arguing the sentence should be postponed until Saddam's trial for the mass murder of Kurds is completed. A further obstacle could be the role of Iraq's president Jalal Talabani.
He is one of two men who must approve the death sentence but is opposed to it despite being a Kurd himself.
The potential problems follow dramatic court room scenes when the deposed dictator defiantly shouted "God is Great" and "You are servants of the occupiers", as he was told he would be hanged for crimes against humanity.
Saddam, 69, initially refused to stand before judge Rauf Abdel Rahman as the verdict and sentence were read out in the fortified Green Zone area of Baghdad.
The news was expected to provoke retaliatory violence by Sunni insurgents who remain loyal to the deposed dictator.
US President George Bush described the verdict as "a milestone in the Iraqi people's efforts to replace the rule of a tyrant with the rule of law".
Amnesty International said it "deplored" the sentence, and condemned the trial as a "shabby affair, marred by serious flaws" which had not met basic international standards.
In Iraq, however, prime minister Nouri al-Maliki hailed the conviction in a televised address saying that it was "not a sentence on one man, but a sentence against all the dark periods of his rule".
Reader views (12)
The man is evil personified.
- Kris Waring,, Yorkshire, uk
Tony says no on moral grounds to the execution of Saddam, but yes to a war that kills 650,000 Iraqis and a 1000s of Western soldiers. It must be hard to be so principled.
- Jaime De Lorraine, London, UK
The judicial system of Iraq has spoken. Who is anyone outside that country to say that the decision to execute this brutal tyrant is wrong?
No one.
- David Huff, Belton, MO USA
The Romanians did it correctly. Ceaucescu was executed and they were able to move on a lot quicker. The drawn out court procedure only prolonged the inevitable for Saddam Hussein. It appeared to be more a convention of Western political correctness than an actual exercise in democratic jurisprudence.
- Joel, New York, USA
Different counteries have different ways of administration. There is no one fomula that fits all. The Americian style of democracy has obviouly failed in Iraq.
During the peiod of Saddam rule, he has "perfected" the way to manage the different fraction of people in Iraq. One might argue that his approach is not right but at least Iraq was a peaceful place and where tourist were not targeted. Where are we now?
When will people realise that you can go into someone's house and impose your values on them. It takes time and patience to convince others that there might be a better way in managing issues.
- Kumar, Praveen, Kuching, Malaysia
There can be little doubt that he has a lot of innocent's blood on his hands and so further judicial process is just a waste of time. Be done with him and get on with trying to bring peace to this tortured land.
- James Ritchie, London, UK
Its a good thing that Saddam is getting topped. Hes a nasty piece of work. Will it solve Iraqs problems? Probably not.
Iraqs problems are the Iraqis. If they spent their time either fighting the coalition or working to build a better nation free of the coalition there would be no need for all the bloodshed - most of it is Iraqi killing Iraqi, too scared to take on the coalition so they target weddings, shops, buses, etc.
- Butch, London
I am disappointed for I was hoping that Sadaam could one day share a prison cell with George W. Bush & Co.
- Mike, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Unfortunately the whole episode in Iraq has been badly contrived by political zealots - not a lot of justice to be seen. However the final chapter in Iraq has yet to be written. My guess is that more heads will roll.
- Robert, Hull, East Yorks
Why can't we get our stuff together in our own legal system like the Iraqi system? Once they convict someone to death, they do it within 30 days. In the USA, millions in tax payer dollars are spent on Death Row inmates, waiting to be put down. I say that after the due right for appeals have been expended the person should spend no jail time and be put to death immediately. Those which have been convicted for life in prison could be sent to Iraq, as military scouts.
- Siz, Santa Barbara, Ca
Saddam was given the trial that the multitudes of his victims were not given! How could a trial be run fairly? No matter what the verdict, there would be those who would cry foul and it does not change the fact that the world was well aware of Saddam's crimes anyway.
Ex-refugee Stooges? Do you forget who is on trial and why he is there? Does your dislike for the leaders of the US and Britain blind you to the fact that Saddam is getting what he deserves? How many people of any culture need to be murdered before accountability is justified? What is your solution to the problem? Should Saddam be given anger management counseling?
The violence will escalate since any action or progress is used as an excuse to inflame the situation in Iraq.
Do you not think that all of those involved with this trial have not come to terms with the reality of their part in this LEGAL process? Do you think that these people are not aware of the threat to their lives that is created by tring Saddam?
Ted - Grow up! The reason that you are able to write your 'feel good' comments is because armchair generals play a much uglier game than paintball.
- Dan Richard, Tokyo
`A sovereign decision by a sovereign country' opines Dr John Reid, just a few minutes after the death penalty being handed down upon Saddam by a bunch of ex refugee stooges on behalf of Bush and Blair.
And this from a spokesman for a Government which expresses itself to be against capital punishment.
And the `sovereign' thing? Well, if indeed Iraq IS a sovereing country, with all that this entails, what the hell are British and north American armed forces doing in the place?
Incidentally, the death penalty for Saddam, if carried out, will probably lead to the brutal killing of everyone connected to this victor's show trial, from the judges to the court stenographers, and is something which I urge all those bloodthirsty armchair generals - whose sole experience of gunfire is, most likely, a spot of paint-ball bonding - to consider before they commence their gloating.
- Ted, Shetland
