Khamis al-Obeidi
Encyclopedia
Khamis al-Obeidi (July 7, 1966 - June 21, 2006) was a lawyer
defending Saddam Hussein
and Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti
, from the time the former leader's trial began in Baghdad
on October 19, 2005 until his assassination. He was a Sunni Muslim, was married and had six children.
at approximately 7 AM, reportedly by men in Iraqi police uniform, and shot dead on June 21, 2006. His body was found near the Shia district of Sadr City
with multiple gunshot wounds.
The killing occurred shortly before the final phase of Saddam Hussein's trial, and Khalil al-Dulaimi, Saddam's chief defense lawyer, believes that it was an attempt to intimidate Saddam's defense team, and blamed the Interior Ministry who have been alleged by Sunni Arabs to operate death squad
s who impersonate Iraqi police.
Some sources in Sadr City
believe the murder of al-Obeidi to be the work of a warlord who goes by the name 'Abu Dereh'.
Al-Obeidi was the third member of Saddam Hussein's defense team to be killed since the trial started. He had previously spoken out against the two previous killings of defense lawyers, and the lack of security measures for him and his colleagues. Despite this, he had chosen to continue living in the Iraqi capital.
with the intent of continuing until their defense team was provided international protection. However, the trial's chief prosecutor Jaafar al-Moussawi stated, "We will continue with the trial and will not be deterred." Amnesty International
has called for an investigation into the incident.
Saddam ended his hunger strike on June 23, 2006, having missed only one meal.
Saddam embarked upon a new hunger strike over al-Obeidi's killing on July 7, 2006, and required hospitalisation on July 23, 2006. The trial continued without his presence. He ended this second hunger strike after 18 days, and reappeared in court.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
defending Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
and Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti
Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti
Barzan Ibrahim al-Hasan al-Tikriti was one of three half-brothers of Saddam Hussein, and a leader of the Mukhabarat, the Iraqi intelligence service...
, from the time the former leader's trial began in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
on October 19, 2005 until his assassination. He was a Sunni Muslim, was married and had six children.
Murder
Al-Obeidi was abducted from his house in the Adhamiya district of BaghdadBaghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
at approximately 7 AM, reportedly by men in Iraqi police uniform, and shot dead on June 21, 2006. His body was found near the Shia district of Sadr City
Sadr City
Sadr City is a suburb district of the city of Baghdad, Iraq. It was built in 1959 by Prime Minister Abdul Karim Qassim and later unofficially renamed Sadr City after deceased Shia leader Mohammad Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr....
with multiple gunshot wounds.
The killing occurred shortly before the final phase of Saddam Hussein's trial, and Khalil al-Dulaimi, Saddam's chief defense lawyer, believes that it was an attempt to intimidate Saddam's defense team, and blamed the Interior Ministry who have been alleged by Sunni Arabs to operate death squad
Death squad
A death squad is an armed military, police, insurgent, or terrorist squad that conducts extrajudicial killings, assassinations, and forced disappearances of persons as part of a war, insurgency or terror campaign...
s who impersonate Iraqi police.
Some sources in Sadr City
Sadr City
Sadr City is a suburb district of the city of Baghdad, Iraq. It was built in 1959 by Prime Minister Abdul Karim Qassim and later unofficially renamed Sadr City after deceased Shia leader Mohammad Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr....
believe the murder of al-Obeidi to be the work of a warlord who goes by the name 'Abu Dereh'.
Al-Obeidi was the third member of Saddam Hussein's defense team to be killed since the trial started. He had previously spoken out against the two previous killings of defense lawyers, and the lack of security measures for him and his colleagues. Despite this, he had chosen to continue living in the Iraqi capital.
Reaction
Al-Obeidi's death prompted Saddam Hussein, along with the seven co-defendants, to go on a hunger strikeHunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
with the intent of continuing until their defense team was provided international protection. However, the trial's chief prosecutor Jaafar al-Moussawi stated, "We will continue with the trial and will not be deterred." Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
has called for an investigation into the incident.
Saddam ended his hunger strike on June 23, 2006, having missed only one meal.
Saddam embarked upon a new hunger strike over al-Obeidi's killing on July 7, 2006, and required hospitalisation on July 23, 2006. The trial continued without his presence. He ended this second hunger strike after 18 days, and reappeared in court.
See also
- Adel al-ZubeidiAdel al-ZubeidiAdel al-Zubeidi was a defense attorney during the Hussein Trials on the legal team representing Taha Yassin Ramadan.He was killed on November 8, 2005, by three gunmen driving in either an Opel or a "government vehicle" outside Adil, a Sunni neighbourhood of Baghdad. He was traveling with Thamer...
, a defense attorney for Taha Yassin RamadanTaha Yassin RamadanTaha Yasin Ramadan al-Jizrawi was a prominent Iraqi Kurd, serving as Vice President of Iraq from March 1991 to the fall of Saddam Hussein in April 2003....
, murdered in 2005 - Saadoun Sughaiyer al-JanabiSaadoun Sughaiyer al-JanabiKnown as a defence attorney during the Hussein Trials, Saadoun antar nassif al-Janabi was one of two lawyers representing Awad Hamed al-Bandar....
, a defense attorney for Awad Hamed al-BandarAwad Hamed al-BandarAwad Hamad al-Bandar was an Iraqi chief judge under Saddam Hussein's presidency. He was the head of the Revolutionary Court which issued death sentences against 143 Dujail residents, in the aftermath of the failed assassination attempt on the president on July 8, 1982 Awad Hamad al-Bandar ...
, murdered in 2005