(October 29, 2010) The Catholic bishops of Iraq have joined the European Union and
the Vatican in criticising the death sentence imposed on Tareq Aziz, right-hand man
of former Iraqi president, Saddam Hussein. Most Iraqi media have done the same. The
Supreme Court on Tuesday declared the former foreign minister guilty of taking part
in the elimination campaign of a number of Shia political groups, like Dawa, to which
current Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki belongs. “We condemn in any case the death
penalty,” said the Chaldean Patriarchal Vicar of Baghdad, Mgr Shlemon Warduni, in
an interview with an Italian-language blog, Baghdadhope. “Our faith tells us that
no one should take the life that God gave. What we want is peace and security, and
for people to be able to meet, not clash,” he said. Latin Archbishop Jean Sleiman
of Baghdad agreed. Many Iraqis also believe that the sentence is politically motivated
rather based in law. “Most Iraqis condemn the death penalty imposed on Tareq Aziz,”
said Taleb Abdulaziz, an Iraqi reporter for Kuwaiti daily al-Qabas. While reiterating
the Church’s position against death penalty, the Holy See has declared with utmost
prudence that it will quietly intervene through diplomatic channels to stop the hanging
of the former foreign minister. The European Union, through its foreign policy chief
Catherine Ashton, has called the sentence as “unacceptable”, demanding its suspension.
Tareq Aziz, a Chaldean Christian, is often cited as an example of how favourably Christians
were treated under Saddam. However when Christian schools were nationalised, he
“did not lift a finger,” nor did he say anything when the Qur’an became a compulsory
subject in schools.