Tariq Aziz, ex-confidante of Saddam, sentenced to death

A popular figure during the regime of Saddam Hussein, Tariq Aziz was sentenced to death on Monday by an Iraqi court. During the tenure of Saddam Hussein, he had served as the foreign minister (1983-91) as well as deputy prime minister (1979-2003).he was a close advisor of former president Saddam Hussein. Iraq’s special tribunal set up by the Iraq’s interim government, which has been set up to try officials from the former regime, sentenced him to death saying that he had committed crime against humanity. He has been accused of persecuting Islamic parties. The present Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s Islamic Dawa party was also a victim. He was also being tried for executing 42 merchants in the year 1992 that were found guilty of manipulating food prices. Iraq was under some sanctions by then and this proved intolerable to Tariq to such an extent that they were sentenced to death. These were some of the many more charges that were imposed on him.

His lawyer and family pleaded for him to be released for humanitarian reasons as he was old and sick. His Lawyer has been given 30 days time to file an appeal which will be looked into in the next 30 days. If the appeal is turned down he will be prosecuted in the next 30 days.