A Fair Trial for Tariq Aziz?

Tariq Aziz is the former Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq. Also a Christian; he handed himself to coalition forces in 2003 (apparently in the belief they would hold little against him).
However he is now being tried for the execution of 42 merchants in 1992 (who raised their prices at a time when Iraqis were beginning to starve to death from U.N sanctions).

Background to the Case
Apparently Tariq Aziz did indeed sign the death warrants: news.bbc.co.uk...
However the merchants had broken Iraqi law as it stood at the time.
If a society faces starvation caused by sanctions (reducing the ability of ordinary people to buy food) there is obviously a case for laws that prevent increases in food prices. The fact 42 merchants were killed as a deterrent to others, should be weighed up against the context i.e. the number of deaths caused by U.N sanctions…
According to 1995 Lancet statistics the difference in child mortality alone represents 567,000 child deaths. www.guardian.co.uk...
“We think the price is worth it” Madam Albright infamously answered on America’s 60 minutes: www.fair.org...
However these child death figures are disputed and actual deaths may be as “insignificant” as only 242,000 child deaths-or maybe only 350,000. www.thenation.com...

(Given the context of all this) one can see why a government might execute 42 merchants for raising food prices; especially if it is already complying with the official reasons behind those same sanctions.

Problems of the trial…
1. Tariq’s original lawyer had an arrest warrant issued on him for “insulting court”
www.startribune.com...
2. Tariq’s Iraqi government appointed lawyer was then unable to attend court on “security grounds” this prompted Tariq to appoint new lawyers. www.startribune.com...
3. These French lawyers were then refused visas by the Iraqi government. See also: www.startribune.com...
4. The Kurdish judge who sentenced Saddam to death by hanging (and who then promptly claimed a successful asylum application in the U.K) is the same judge is now trying Tariq Aziz www.unobserver.com... (there is no Jury in this courtroom). Coincidence?
I guess it’s very brave of the man who ran away from this new chaotic Iraq (he played such a very symbolic role in creating) to momentarily return.
5. Apparently Tareq Aziz is being held in a room 2 metres by 1.
Source: www.unobserver.com...

Tareq Aziz - who has been held in “a room reserved for dogs”, just two metres by one,

Fair Trial?
So what do you think of the justice system we have left Iraq?

A Note for the Future and Present
If you found yourself opposing Iraq’s Iranian backed government en.wikipedia.org... would you be happy to face court? Perhaps we should have avoided writing in the death penalty in their constitution?

By the way if anyone has a problem with Saddam’s leadership (or his government) may I suggest you see this other thread I authored: www.abovetopsecret.com...

The right to be tried by a jury of your peers is a fundamental human right- regardless of whether this Tariq Aziz is guilty of his crimes or not, you can hardly call his trial fair and democratic when there is no jury (what kind of democracy are the American's trying to install here?).