Lessons from the Saddam Trial. Saddam on Stage: Assessing the Media Coverage of the Trial

October 6, 2006
Presented by: Frederick K. Cox International Law Center

Summary: War Crimes Research Symposium

Moderator: Gregory McNeal, Assistant Director, Institute for Global Security Law and Policy, Senior Fellow in Terrorism and Homeland Security, Case School of Law

Ayad Rahim, Iraqi-Cleveland free-lance journalist, researcher & radio host
Simone Monasebian, Court TV Legal Analyst; former prosecutor, International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda; former Principal Defender, Special Court for Sierra Leone
Mark Ellis, Commentator for CNN International

Billed by the international media as the "real trial of the century," the televised proceedings in the first case before the Iraqi High Tribunal were punctuated by gripping testimony of atrocities, controversial judicial rulings, assassinations of defense counsel, resignation of judges, scathing outbursts, allegations of mistreatment by the defendants, hunger strikes, and even underwear appearances. Was it a mistake to try Saddam in Baghdad before a panel of Iraqi judges? Was the Iraqi High Tribunal a legitimate judicial institution? Were the proceedings fundamentally fair? Did the judges react properly to the defendants attempts to derail the proceedings? Was the media coverage of the trial comprehensive and accurate? And what are the lessons for future war crimes trials? These questions will be addressed in a unique day-long symposium, one week before the judges announce their verdict in the Dujail Trial.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Case
• Western
• Reserve
• University
• law
• school
• Saddam
• Hussein
• trial
• Cox
• International
• Center
• tribunal
• Gregory
• McNeal
• Ayad
• Rahim
• Simone
• Monasebian
• Mark
• Ellis
• Iraq
• Iraqi
• War
• Crimes

[fonsidream]

When do we witness a trial against George Bush for unlawful invation into Iraq and genocide? Why so late? Are there political issues to hold back?