Monday, November 06, 2006
Curfew continues
Saddam Hussein
Baghdad remains under curfew as Saddam Hussein's appeal over his crimes against humanity conviction begins. Brigadier Abdel-Karim Khalaf said the emergency measures would likely be lifted by Tuesday morning. Baghdad airport has also been closed for the second consecutive day, and the border with Jordan has been shut to all traffic as part of the security measures. Two other provinces - Diyala and Salaheddin - are also under curfew.
There have been scattered celebrations on Monday in Shia-dominated parts of the country which are not covered by the curfew. In Hillah, 95km south of Baghdad, about 500 people marched in the streets carrying placards and shouting slogans denouncing the former president. In the mainly Sunni city of Baquba, about 250 pro-Saddam demonstrators took to the streets. They were dispersed by Iraqi soldiers for breaking the curfew in the province. Another 400 protesters marched through Samarra denouncing the verdict. The curfew was temporarily lifted in Tikrit to allow residents to shop and run errands. Angry crowds had gathered in the city on Sunday, holding aloft Saddam portraits, firing guns and chanting slogans pledging to avenge his execution.
Judges set Saddam Hussein's appeal - which is automatic under Iraqi law when the defendant has been sentenced to death - under way on Monday. Raed al-Juhi, the spokesman for the tribunal which tried the former president, said the court has 10 days to submit its ruling justifying Saddam's execution to an appeals committee. The nine-judge panel will then invite input from the prosecution. Defence lawyers have said they will also submit their arguments. Twenty days after that, the case will be sealed and the panel will retire to consider its verdict. No date has been set for their final judgement, which is binding. If the verdict is upheld, Saddam will be hanged within 30 days of its ruling.
