Iraq appeals court upholds Saddam death sentence

BAGHDAD (AFP) - A panel of Iraqi judges has upheld the death sentence passed against

Saddam Hussein, a spokesman for the court said, in a decision that could see the ousted dictator hanged within 30 days.

ADVERTISEMENT

"The appeals court has ratified the sentence of the execution of Saddam," Judge Raed Jouhi told AFP on Tuesday.

Under Iraqi law a death sentence, once confirmed at appeal, should be carried out within a month. Jouhi would not confirm this would be the case, however, saying that this was a matter for "the executive".

In theory,

Iraq's head of state President Jalal Talabani must ratify all capital sentences, but he has previously said he would leave such a job to his vice presidents because of his personal opposition to the death penalty.