Human rights court rejects Saddam plea

Europe’s top human rights court rejected an urgent appeal to stop Britain, a leading member of the US-led coalition in Iraq, from taking part in the transfer of Saddam Hussein to Iraqi authorities.

The court said there was no immediate threat to the former Iraqi dictator’s human rights.

A fast-track appeal was filed with the court, based in Strasbourg, by Saddam’s US lawyer, Curtis Doebbler.

Court officials said Saddam’s lawyers asked the court “to permanently prohibit” Britain “from facilitating, allowing for, acquiescing in, or in any other form whatsoever effectively participating … in the transfer of the applicant to the custody of the Iraqi interim government”.

The lawyers said their client should not be transferred “unless and until the Iraqi interim government has provided adequate assurances that the applicant will not be subject to the death penalty.”

They argued that as signatory to the court’s Convention on Human Rights, Britain was obliged to ensure people under their control – which they said included Saddam – were not subject to torture, degrading treatment, or the death penalty.

“You have to establish the reality and imminent threat of harm for such an urgent injunction to be granted,” said court spokesman Roderick Liddell.

But the court will consider the merits of the appeal before deciding if its wants to take it on as a broader case about how Saddam Hussein has been treated by the coalition – and by extension, Britain, he said.

Saddam’s lawyers would have to “show proof that he has exhausted all other legal remedies possible” before coming to the court, Liddell said.