Saddam Trial

The trial of Saddam Hussein and his inevitable death sentence raises serious questions about democratisation process in Iraq, if democracy is to be defined as more than majority rule. Democracy connotes freedom of conscience, speech, movement and enterprise, as well as adherence to values such as The Rule of Law and decent treatment of every human being no matter how flawed or evil they are.

Yes, I accept at that Sadam Hussein was a horrible dictator and responsible for mass murder, but this trial was flawed and political. The governmental interference in the case and the numerous replacements of judges and lawyers has undermined the claims to justice this trial had.

Finally, there is, in my opinion, no excuse to execute anybody. Not even if they are spies, brutal murders or dictators responsible for mass murder. It is not an excuse that the Iraqis are newly liberated people and that the Iraqi population wants Saddam dead.

Just as the Nuremberg Trials and the trial of Adolf Eichmann, this trial undermines the principles of democracy.