Saddam lawyers to boycott court

2005-10-26 23:48

Amman - Lawyers representing Saddam Hussein have announced on Wednesday that they will boycott the special tribunal trying the ousted Iraqi president until they are given better security.

A statement issued by a Jordan-based team and lead Iraqi counsel Khalil al-Dulaimi said: "In view of the dangerous security conditions in Iraq and their impact on Iraqi members of the defence team, along with the never-ending threats against them and their families ... a decision has been taken to fully boycott the Iraqi Special Tribunal."

The decision followed the killing of Saadun Janabi, an attorney representing one of Saddam's co-defendants, a day after the opening of the trial.

Fair, open trial

The statement also accused the judges on the tribunal of "violating" the rights of the defence lawyers.

It said: "Given these circumstances, it is impossible to have a fair and open trial."

Defence lawyers said their boycott would last until their demands were met. They also appealed for a time freeze on proceedings in the meantime.

The trial, which opened on October 19 in Baghdad, was adjourned after just one day until November 28.

On Tuesday, a group of former foreign leaders backing the defence team called for a United Nations probe into Janabi's murder, while defence lawyers also appealed for UN protection.

UN protection

In their statement, the lawyers put forward 10 conditions for ending their boycott, including an independent international investigation into Janabi's killing, UN protection for meetings of the defence committee and the hiring of 15 bodyguards per lawyer to ensure their protection.

They also asked to be allowed to carry weapons and to be given passes to get them through Iraqi and US security checkpoints.

The lawyers also said they wanted assurances that security forces would not raid their offices or homes or tap their telephones.

They demanded that money and documents confiscated from them be returned and that no lawyer be arrested without the bar association being informed of it.

They also asked that foreign lawyers be allowed to assist in the defence and be recognised by the court within two weeks.

- AFP