Iraqi judge who presided over Saddam Hussein genocide trial dies

Iraqi judge Mohamed al Oreibi presides over Saddam Hussein's trial in Baghdad in September 2006.DARKO BANDIC / AP

Mohamed al Oreibi al Khalifa, who presided over the trial of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein for genocide against the Kurds, has died of complications from COVID-19 in a Baghdad hospital.

He was 52 years old and had retired from the magistracy.

Following the US invasion in 2003, the prosecution of Saddam marked the end of the dictatorship in Iraq and marked the beginning of a tumultuous path to democracy that still finds it difficult to settle today.

The Supreme Judicial Council, which announced the death of Al Oreibi last Friday, praised in a statement the judge's courage during the trial against the tyrant and several other senior Baathist officials.

"He faced the symbols of the previous dictatorial regime and its ruler, so it will remain immortal in the hearts of Iraqis in general, and judges in particular," the text said.

Al Oreibi, a Shiite Arab born in the capital's Karrada neighborhood, received a law degree from the University of Baghdad in 1992. He was appointed a judge in 2000, under the presidency of Saddam, who for two decades had controlled the ruling Baath Party. .

Little did he imagine then that six years later he would face the court in which the man who had signed the decree of his appointment would be tried.

The young judge Al Oreibi was one of the members of the Iraqi High Court created in December 2003 to try crimes committed under Saddam's regime.

Like the rest of the judicial team, he received training from foreign magistrates specialized in trials of this nature.

Although the Iraqis did not want an international court but rather a local body with Iraqi judges and prosecutors to follow the country's criminal procedure, they had significant outside support underhand, especially on the crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes that until then they were not covered by Iraqi law.

Al Oreibi was part of the team of investigating judges who prepared the charges against the dictator himself from August 2004. But his name rose to fame two years later, when he replaced Judge Abdullah al Amiri (labeled too soft on Saddam ) as president of the court in the process for the genocide of tens of thousands of Kurds with chemical weapons between 1986 and 1988, known as the Anfal campaign.

Along with Saddam, his cousin Ali Hasan al-Majid, known as Ali the Chemist, and five other senior officials were also on trial.

On his first day in front of the hearing, Al Oreibi responded to repeated interruptions by defense attorneys and Saddam himself, expelling the dictator from the courtroom, a gesture that would be repeated on more occasions despite his threats.

"Your father was in the security forces and continued working in them until the fall of Baghdad," Saddam snapped at the judge, trying to tarnish his image.

"I challenge you in front of the public if such is the case," the magistrate replied, setting the tone for the rest of the process.

• Saddam bets on reconciliation two days after being sentenced to death

• Trial for 'Anfal case' resumes without Saddam Hussein

Saddam was hanged on December 30, 2006, before the

Anfal

trial concluded

.

He had been sentenced to death in a previous case for the murder of 148 Shiites and politicians in this community could not contain their thirst for revenge.

A few days before his execution, the dictator wrote to Al Oreibi: “I hate you so much that I cannot look you in the face.

From now on I am not going to attend the court sessions ”.

In June 2007, the court sentenced Ali the Chemist to death.

Al Oreibi's attitude was not without courage.

During the process, at least one judge and three lawyers linked to it were assassinated.

He, like other magistrates, had to move to live in the Green Zone of Baghdad and get used to having an escort of fifty policemen.

"The man who leads them is my shadow, he accompanies me wherever I go," he acknowledged in an interview months after the trial.

Until last Friday.