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Iraqi journalist 'brutally tortured' in custody

The Iraqi journalist who gained fame for throwing his shoes at US President George W Bush will stand trial on December 31, a court official said on Monday.

  • Agencies
  • Published: 09:52 December 22, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • The lawyer of Muntadar Al Zaidi (pictured) says the journalist was brutally tortured while in custody.
  • Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
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Baghdad: The Iraqi journalist who gained fame for throwing his shoes at US President George W Bush will stand trial on December 31, a court official said on Monday.

Muntadar Al Zaidi is charged with "assaulting a foreign head of state visiting Iraq," said Abdul Satar Birqadr, spokesman for Iraq's High Judicial Council.

"The Criminal Court has set a date for trial on Dec. 31 and a three-judge panel will run the hearings," he said.

"The case is not complicated and I expect it won't take a great deal of time to reach a ruling," he said, adding that it was up to the court to determine a sentence.

Meanwhile, Al Zaidi's lawyer and brother both say he was brutally tortured while in custody.

Lawyer Dhiya Al Saadi said Muntadar Al Zaidi had filed a complaint against those who assaulted him. He said the journalist is expected to sue his attackers.

Al Zaidi's brother Uday said the reporter was badly beaten in jail. "There were multiple bruises all over his body," he said.

"There were cigarette burns behind his ears. He was beaten with metal rods. His eyes were swollen. They have assigned two medical doctors ... to provide him with treatment in order to hide the evidence of torture," the brother said.

His lawyer backed the claims saying: "There are bruises on his body. He has lost a tooth in his upper jaw, and his left eye is bloodshot.''

Meanwhile, Al Zaidi's trial is expected to start on Wednesday, according to judicial sources. Al Zaidi is accused of assaulting a foreign head of state.

Meanwhile, his brother said Al Zaidi was forced to apologise to Iraqi President Nouri Al Maliki, adding that he vowed he would never apologise to Bush “even if they cut him into small pieces''.

The reporter has been held by Iraqi authorities since he threw his shoes at Bush during a press conference last week.

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