The UN urged not to execute Khusyn's associates

Two closest associates of the executed Iraqi leader, his half-brother Barazan Ibrahim At-Chikriti, who headed Iraqi intelligence services, and the ex-head of the revolutionary tribunal Avvad Al-Bandar, will be executed on Sunday, representatives of the Iraqi authorities said on Thursday, AFP reports.

"Barzan At-Chryti and Hussein Avad al-Bandar will be hanged on Sunday at dawn, now for sure," said the influential member of the Shiite fraction, which is the majority in the parliament of Iraq, Bach al-Aryidzhyan.

Earlier, the Arab satellite television channel Al-Arabiya, with reference to sources in the Iraq government, distributed information that the closest associates of Hussein, sentenced with him to the highest degree of punishment for crimes against humanity, could be hanged on Thursday morning. According to the channel, all the documents necessary for the execution of the death sentence have already been signed. However, the sentenced, as before, are in the hands of the Americans and have not yet been handed over to the Iraq side.

The government source told AFP that the execution was transferred under pressure from the international community. After the execution of Saddam Hussein, first Europe, and then the UN called on the authorities of Iraq not to execute the associates of Hussein.

On behalf of the UN, directly to the President of Iraq, Jalyal Talabani, the Supreme Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbur spoke. "International law in its current form allows the death sentence only as an exceptional measure," the ARBBRA's widespread appeal said.

Earlier, in Baghdad, they ignored the similar request Arbur, which expressed concern about the fair and impartial nature of the trial of Saddam Hussein. However, the former Iraqi leader was executed on December 30. It was assumed that the associates of the former dictator would be executed simultaneously with him. According to some reports, on December 29, personal belongings were taken from them. However, as a result, the death of officials was delayed.

The UN Secretary General fully supported Arbur. According to his official representative, Pan Hi Moon is aware of the discussion now being conducted as part of the international community regarding the proposal to introduce a complete ban on the death penalty.

The Supreme Commissioner of the UN Human Rights also recalled the international obligations of Iraq, according to which these two people should be given the opportunity to achieve mitigation or pardon. While this issue has not been resolved, the Secretary General respects the right of each member state to his own position.

At-Chryti and al-Bandar were sentenced with the former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. The court found them guilty of the death of 148 residents of the village of Ad-Dujil, who were killed in 1982 on charges of attempt to attempt on Hussein. Earlier it was reported that they were executed with the former president early on the morning of December 30, but later the Iraq authorities refuted this information.

Meanwhile, the scandal is flared around the circumstances of the execution of Hussein. Earlier, Iraq confirmed the arrest of a man who filmed the execution of Saddam Hussein on a mobile phone and distributed a video via the Internet. As the AP agency clarifies, the Iraqi authorities arrested three people, two guards and an official. Earlier on Wednesday, the Iraqi prosecutor Munkit al-Farun, who was present at Hussein’s execution, said that he saw two high-ranking government representatives who shot the entire execution ceremony.

“They used mobile phones camera for shooting. I don’t know their names, but I remembered their faces,” the prosecutor said, adding that officials were shooting openly. In his opinion, it was these personnel that later appeared on the Internet. On the record you can hear insults against Hussein from the guards, who also shouted the name of the leader of the Shiite militants of the Muktada al-Sadra.

When the executioner threw Hussein around his neck, one of the guards shouted: "So it was with those who pray to Muhammad and the Muhammad family." Hussein asked: "Is this human nobility? Are you so demonstrating your courage?" To this, the guards replied: “Down with the dictatorship!”, “Go to hell!”, “Long live Muhammad Baker Sadr!” (Uncle Muktada al-Sadra, founder of the Daua party, executed by Saddam Hussein in the 1980s).

Judge Munkid al-Faraon, who was present at the execution, shouted: "Stop, please. A person is preparing for hanging. I ask you, please stop." The last words of Saddam are also heard: "There is no God except Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet." When the former president was hanged, those present rejoiced and shouted: "The tyrant fell!", "Let him hang for another eight minutes."

This video caused the indignation of the Iraqi Sunnis and the entire Arab world. The Iraqi authorities continue the investigation with the aim of establishing the identity of the author of unauthorized video shooting of the execution of Saddam Hussein.

Recall that the ex-president of Iraq was hanged on December 30. The record of a few minutes before the execution was broadcast on state Iraqi television. The next day, another record appeared on the Internet, demonstrating the entire execution.