Rights group criticises Al Maliki

The New York-based group, The Human Rights Watch, on Monday said that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki's disregard of criticism over the handling of Saddam Hussain's execution is redolent of the former regime.

Al Maliki said last week that Saddam's execution was an internal affair and criticisms of the execution were "inciting sedition and constituted flagrant interference in the internal affairs of Iraq." He said that Iraq would take into consideration their relations with countries who criticised.

"The execution of the tyrant was not a political decision, as the enemies of the Iraqi people say. The verdict was implemented after a fair and transparent trial, which the dictator never deserved," Al Maliki said on Saturday.

A statement from HRW said Al Maliki's statement was reminiscent of Saddam's regime: "Human Rights Watch was critical of remarks made on January 6 by

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki, who said that Saddam Hussain did not deserve a fair trial and that his hanging was a domestic affair carried out for the purpose of Iraqi unity," a statement released by HRW said.

"Al Maliki went on to say that criticisms of the execution were tantamount to inciting sedition and constituted flagrant interference in the internal affairs of Iraq."

"Human Rights Watch recalls comparable statements from Hussain's former Baath party regime in attempting to rebuff criticisms of its horrific human rights violations."

The Human Rights Watch group has also called on the Iraqi government to halt the upcoming executions of Saddam's two top aides, former intelligence chief Barzan Ebrahim Al Tikriti who is also his half brother and and the former head of Iraq's Revolutionary Court, Awad Hamed Al Bandar.

"The haste and vengeance infusing Saddam Hussain's hanging should prompt the Iraqi government to halt these executions," Richard Dicker, director of Human Rights Watch's International Justice Program said. "Saddam Hussain's hanging, which obscured his unspeakable human rights record, shocked the world and is raising questions about this government's commitment to fundamental human rights."