UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour has appealed to Iraqi President Jalal Talabani to prevent the execution of two of Saddam Hussein’s co-defendants. Arbour argued that international law allows the death penalty only in exceptional circumstances and that international obligations require Iraq to give the two men an opportunity to seek commutation or pardon. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has given his support to Arbour’s appeal.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=21147&Cr=iraq&Cr1=Â