Thursday, December 28, 2006 at 2:02am
Vatican slams Saddam death sentence
The Vatican has criticized an Iraqi appeals court's decision to uphold the death sentence on Saddam Hussein for crimes against humanity, La Repubblica newspaper said Thursday. Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the papal council for justice and peace, told the paper he did not think one crime could be offset by another and said he hoped the sentence would not be carried out.
"The death penalty is not a natural death. And no one can give death, not even the state," said Martino. Catholic teachings demand that human life be protected from conception "to a 'natural death'," he said.
Martino also appealed for an international conference and negotiations to resolve the conflicts in Iraq, Lebanon and the entire Middle East.
Saddam and six of his former top government aides were found guilty Nov. 5 of ordering the killing of 148 Shiites in the town of Dujail in 1982 in retaliation for an attempt on Saddam's life.
"The death penalty is not a natural death. And no one can give death, not even the state," said Martino. Catholic teachings demand that human life be protected from conception "to a 'natural death'," he said.
Martino also appealed for an international conference and negotiations to resolve the conflicts in Iraq, Lebanon and the entire Middle East.
Saddam and six of his former top government aides were found guilty Nov. 5 of ordering the killing of 148 Shiites in the town of Dujail in 1982 in retaliation for an attempt on Saddam's life.