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Iraq: Two perspectives of justice

"Justice" Iraqi and American style.   truthout highlights the gulf between Iraqi "justice" and the way the US handled just one deathly incident, involving US military, in Iraq.

"On 24 of January, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said she was "shocked" at reports that 34 individuals, including two women, were executed in Iraq on 19 January following their conviction for various crimes.

"Even if the most scrupulous fair trial standards were observed, this would be a terrifying number of executions to take place in a single day," she said.

"Given the lack of transparency in court proceedings, major concerns about due process and fairness of trials and the very wide range of offences for which the death penalty can be imposed in Iraq, it is a truly shocking figure."

"Most disturbingly," she added, "we do not have a single report of anyone on death row being pardoned, despite the fact there are well-documented cases of confessions being extracted under duress. [...] I call on the Government of Iraq to implement an immediate moratorium on the institution of death penalty."(1)

On the same day that Pillay made this statement, a US military judge sentenced a Marine squad leader, who pleaded guilty for war crimes in connection with the assassination of 24 Iraqi civilians in Haditha, to a maximum of 90 days in prison and a reduction in pay and rank. But because he pleaded guilty, Staff Sgt. Frank G. Wuterich won't serve any time in the brig.(2) Eight Marines were initially charged. One was acquitted and six others had their cases dropped.(3) Understandably, the Iraqis reacted with outrage.(4)

We wonder if Pillay was "shocked" when she read this verdict. Does she think this was an example of "transparency in court proceedings"? Doesn't she have "major concerns about due process and fairness of trials" in this case? We assume she did. So, why didn't her office issue a statement condemning the US government? And what does this tell you about the value of Iraqi lives?"

Continue reading here.

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