Tariq Aziz, the cigar wielding Christian
politician, the right hand man of Saddam Hussein has been sentenced to
death by Iraq’s high tribunal. The charges against 74 year old Tariq
Aziz include a brutal crackdown on an uprising by Shia Muslims in the
aftermath of the Gulf War.
Mr Aziz could be sent to the gallows within 30 days if his appeal has been turned down.
Tariq Aziz’s lawyer says the sentence is
invalid from both legal and ethical perspectives and he does not
recognise the court because it sentenced Saddam Hussein to death.
Analysts believe the timing of the
sentence was aimed at diverting attention away from crimes committed by
Iraqi and US forces that were outlined by WikiLeaks.
Tariq Aziz who suffered a stroke just
prior to the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 is in poor health. He turned
himself in to US forces on April 25, 2003 and has been in their custody
ever since. On March 11, 2009 an Iraqi court found him guilty of the
July 1992 executions that killed 42 merchants handed him a 15-year
sentence.
Tariq Aziz, the only Christian
politician in Saddam’s cabinet, worked as foreign minister and deputy
prime minister in the years of war with Iraq’s neighbours.
___________________________________________________Written by: Ibrahim Nazim
27 October 2010, Wednesday
19 Zulqaida 1431
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