An Iraqi appeals court today upheld Saddam Hussein's death sentence for crimes against humanity and said he should hang within 30 days.
"The appeal court has approved the death sentence. They (the government) has the right to choose the date starting from tomorrow up to 30 days.
"After 30 days it will be an obligation to implement the sentence," the head of the Iraqi High Tribunal, Aref Abdul-Razzaq al-Shahin, told a news conference.
Saddam, 69, was sentenced to death on November 5 for crimes against humanity over the killings of 148 Shia from the town of Dujail after he escaped assassination there in 1982.
Saddam's half-brother Barzan al-Tikriti and former judge Awad al-Bander also received the death penalty for their part in the incident. The court also rejected their appeals.
The court recommended toughening the sentence on former Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan, who had been sentenced to life in prison over the Dujail killings, saying he should also be executed.
"Amnesty International is very disappointed about this decision," a spokeswoman for the human rights organization said.
We are against the death penalty as a matter of principle but particularly in this case because it comes after a flawed trial."
