Saddam prosecutors demand death penalty in closing arguments News
Saddam prosecutors demand death penalty in closing arguments

[JURIST] The prosecution in the Saddam Hussein trial [JURIST news archive] presented closing arguments Monday, calling for the death penalty for Hussein, his half-brother Barzan al-Tikriti, former chief judge of the Revolutionary Court Awad Hamed al-Bander, and former senior regime member Taha Yassin Ramadan. Chief Judge Raouf Abdel-Rahman [BBC profile], who abruptly ended witness testimony for the defense last week [JURIST report], adjourned the trial until July 10, when the defense team will present their closing arguments. Jaafar al-Moussawi, the chief prosecutor, told the Iraqi High Tribunal [official website] that the prosecution believes that the "heaviest penalties" should be imposed on Hussein and his co-defendants, saying that they spread corruption and "not even trees escape[d] their oppression."

Hussein and his seven co-defendants face crimes against humanity charges [JURIST report] for killing, torturing and illegally detaining Dujail residents, including sentencing 148 Shiites to death [execution order], in response to an alleged 1982 assassination attempt on Hussein's life. Reuters has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

President Harding signed "anti-beer bill"

On November 23, 1921, President Warren G. Harding signed the Willis-Campbell Act, popularly termed the "anti-beer bill," prohibiting doctors from prescribing beer or liquor for medicinal purposes.

Convention on Cybercrimes opens for signature

On November 23, 2001, the Convention on Cybercrime was opened for signature in Budapest, Hungary, before entering into force on July 1, 2004. The Convention seeks to coordinate the Internet laws of signatory states and promote international enforcement of cybercrime laws. Learn more about the Convention on Cybercrime from the Council of Europe.