German goverment rejects death sentence for Saddam Hussein
Berlin (dpa) - The German government Wednesday said it stood by its rejection of capital punishment in connection with the confirmation of the death sentence imposed on former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
"The death penalty is rejected by the German government," said Chancellor Angela Merkel's deputy spokesman, Thomas Steg.
Steg stressed that the death penalty is banned in Germany and all European Union member states.
"But we view a legal coming to terms with (Iraq's) past as necessary and there are no signs that both the trial and the appeal did not take place in accordance with the country's legal principles and rule of law," said Steg.
The death sentence against Saddam Hussein for crimes against humanity was upheld by Iraq's appeals court on Tuesday. The presiding judge said the death sentence had to be carried out within 30 days under Iraqi law. // © 2006 DPA
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