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Proposal for an urgency resolution on death penalty for Saddam Hussein
Drafted by Marco Pannella and Marco Cappato
On June 30, 2004, Saddam Hussein and 11 senior Ba'athist officials were handed over to the interim Iraqi government to stand trial for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. On November 5, 2006 , Saddam Hussein was found guilty of crimes against humanity in ordering the deaths of 148 Shi'ite villagers in the town of Dujail in 1982 and sentenced to death by hanging. Saddam Hussein's verdict and sentence would come under review by the nine-judge appellate chamber of the trial court. Iraqi law requires executions to take place within 30 days of the end of the appeal process; however it also forbids the executions of people aged over 70 years old, a status Saddam Hussein acquires on 28 April 2007.
Considering that the European Union is opposed to the death penalty in all cases and statements has been released by the EU Council and Commission condemning the sentence to death for the former Iraqi dictator, the European Parliament should have an opportunity to express its position on this issue before the end of the appeal process.
For this reason the European Parliament should debate and adopt an urgency resolution on the case of Saddam Hussein and on the situation of death penalty in Iraq.
On June 30, 2004, Saddam Hussein and 11 senior Ba'athist officials were handed over to the interim Iraqi government to stand trial for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. On November 5, 2006 , Saddam Hussein was found guilty of crimes against humanity in ordering the deaths of 148 Shi'ite villagers in the town of Dujail in 1982 and sentenced to death by hanging. Saddam Hussein's verdict and sentence would come under review by the nine-judge appellate chamber of the trial court. Iraqi law requires executions to take place within 30 days of the end of the appeal process; however it also forbids the executions of people aged over 70 years old, a status Saddam Hussein acquires on 28 April 2007.
Considering that the European Union is opposed to the death penalty in all cases and statements has been released by the EU Council and Commission condemning the sentence to death for the former Iraqi dictator, the European Parliament should have an opportunity to express its position on this issue before the end of the appeal process.
For this reason the European Parliament should debate and adopt an urgency resolution on the case of Saddam Hussein and on the situation of death penalty in Iraq.
