HRW Cries Fowl In Iraqi Trials

      Human Rights Watch has released a statement saying that the trials of Iraqi officials are deeply flawed and deny them the right to a fair trial.

The Iraqi Special Tribunal statute lacks significant fair-trial protections, including explicit guarantees against using confessions extracted under torture, and a requirement that guilt be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. At the same time, a suspect convicted by the tribunal may face the death penalty, which precludes the United Nations from providing the tribunal with much-needed technical assistance.