JAKARTA - Today, May 15, 2006, exactly 15 years ago, a judge formally indicted Saddam Hussein for crimes against humanity. He was charged with the murder of 148 Shiite Muslims in Dujail, Northern Iraq, in 1982. But Hussein refused to file a defense because he was still listed as President of Iraq. Moderately, the judge does not have jurisdiction to prosecute him. Not to mention many doubt the trial went fair.
According to The New York Times, the defense began by calling witnesses from the defendants. While the chief judge, Raouf Abdel-Rahman instead first summoned eight defendants to the court one by one.
They then read out the indictment formally. The indictment has even been filed by prosecutors for the past seven months. As a result, Saddam Hussein and other defendants were found guilty of attempted murder in Dujail.
The indictment says 148 people were killed, 32 of them minors. Saddam Hussein is believed to have given orders to destroy farms and carry out mass killings.
After Judge Raouf Abdel-Rahman finished reviewing the indictment, he immediately rushed to ask Saddam Hussein: "based on the facts I have described, are you guilty or not? Saddam Husein who entered the courtroom appeared to smile. He, who wore a simple suit with a white shirt, then stood up and said that he could not give the answer.
"I cannot give a short answer to a lengthy presentation that ignores all the testimony given in this court," Saddam Hussein said at the hearing.
"Do you want me to answer you here for the sake of public opinion?" Saddam Hussein asked. "Whether you or anyone else has written, this is none of my business, and will not interfere with a single hair on my head."
Saddam Hussein's voice then went up, he declared "you -- the judge -- are in front of Saddam Hussein, the president of the republic. You are a defendant!" the judge replied.
"I am the president of the republic at the whim of the Iraqi people, and I respect their wishes," Hussein continued. "I don't recognize agents who were brought here under banners and given titles."
Trial in doubtThe alleged unfair trial in Dujail's case is indeed an issue. That was directly communicated by many. Amnesty International, for one. NGOs focused on human rights doubted Saddam Hussein's trial could actually run fairly and independently.
Not even a few have argued, the verdict against Saddam Hussein was set two days before the general elections of congress and the United States Senate (USA). In other words, Saddam Hussein's trial was only to raise the image of the Republican Party that was battered by President Bush's policy of invading Iraq.
Republicans believe that a death sentence to Saddan Hussein could boost their vote in the election. That indication is stronger because this trial has started since 2003.
"Saddam's trial with seven of his men in the Dujail case, in a court set up by the U.S. government and the Iraqi Government Council in 2003, was colorful and dramatic.
Ahead of the first session, October 19, 2005, the location of the building is located in the Green Zone-area in Baghdad with a maximum-solid level of security with armed guards," added Bina Bektiati in his article in Tempo Magazine (2006).
Even so, the trial continues. In November Saddam Hussein was found guilty of crimes against humanity. Saddam Hussein was later sentenced to death by hanging. He was hanged on December 30.
OTHER TODAY'S HISTORY
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