Saddam’s Judge Called Too Lax, Is Replaced
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
BAGHDAD, Iraq — The chief judge in Saddam Hussein’s genocide trial was replaced yesterday amid complaints from Shiite and Kurdish officials that he was too easy on the deposed Iraqi leader.
It was the second time that a chief judge was changed while Saddam was on trial; in each case, accusations were made that Saddam was allowed too much leeway in court. Abdullah al-Amiri was replaced on the five-member panel by his deputy, Mohammed al-Uraibiy, a court official said. The new chief judge is a Shiite Arab, as is Mr. Amiri.
The Iraqi High Tribunal, which is the country’s supreme court, sought the change, and Prime Minister al-Maliki approved it, a government official said.
