President Jalal Talabani said today he would never sign former deputy premier Tareq Azizs execution order, stressing it was time to turn the page on Iraqs history of capital punishment."No, I will not sign this kind of order because I am a socialist," Talabani told France 24 television in an interview. "I feel for Tareq Aziz, because hes an Iraqi Christian, and hes also an elderly person, over 70 years old. Thats why I will never sign this execution order."
Mr Aziz was handed the death penalty on October 26 for the suppression of Shiite religious parties in the 1980s, and is also on trial for a crackdown on Iraqi Kurds, of which Talabani is one.
Iraqs supreme criminal court found the long-time international face of former president Saddam Husseins regime guilty of "deliberate murder and crimes against humanity," sentencing him to death.
The verdict provoked a wave of appeals for clemency from around the world, including from rights groups, the European Union, Russia and the Vatican.
But, strangely, none from his victims or their families ...
Aged 74, in poor health and among Saddams few surviving top cohorts, Aziz has been in prison since surrendering in April 2003, shortly after the fall of Baghdad in the US-led invasion of Iraq.
The court also sentenced Aziz to 15 years imprisonment for "committing torture" and 10 years for "participating in torture," and ordered that all of his known wealth be confiscated.
Two other men received the death sentence at the same time as Aziz -- former interior minister Saadoun Shaker and Abid Hmoud, an aide to Saddam.
All three were sentenced for their role in the crackdown on Shiites, but the urbane Aziz was by far the most prominent figure. Named foreign minister in 1983 and then deputy prime minister in 1991, Aziz exploited his mastery of English to put a gloss on Saddams murderous regime for two decades.
Ratifying the death sentence is one of the prerogatives of Iraqs head of state, as stipulated in article 73 of the constitution. Talabani refusals to sign the death warrant should therefore allow Aziz to escape execution.