July 11, 2006

Regards,

The Defense Committee for President Saddam Hussein and (1) Mr.Taha Yassin Ramadan, (2) Mr.Barazan Ibrahim Hasan and (3) Mr.Awwad Hamad Al-Bandar, would like to inform you that it has been decided to suspend its attendance in the Court's session as per July 10th, 2006 due to the violations to the rights of defense which amounted to the assassination of some defense lawyers. Those assassinations were instigated by various parties. Instigations to kill other lawyers are still going on in public. Moreover, the defense lawyers are prohibited from doing their best to do their sacred duty by presenting whatever legal arguments that they deem appropriate to defend their clients.

We will not put an end to this suspension until the following demands are fulfilled:

1- To provide real and actual security for the defense lawyers and their families. Such protection should be provided by the American authorities.

2- To conduct significant investigations in the assassinations of martyr Khamis Obeidi and the other lawyers who were assassinated or wounded. Any possible results of such investigations should be made public.

3- To schedule a new date that may be proper for the defense to submit it closing speech. A period of not less than 45 days should be given for this purpose.

4- The Court has to pledge in unambiguous terms that it will allow all the defense lawyers to present their oral argumentations and for the time they deem adequate until they can make their oral arguments in full no matter how many court session that may be needed for this.

5- The Court should commit itself not to interrupt the Defense while it is making its oral argumentations in any phase of the proceedings.

6- The Curt should not stop the public broadcasting while the defense lawyers and their clients are presenting their final statements.

7- Actual legal actions should be taken against the parties and persons who incite to kill the lawyers.

8- The Court should commit itself to the international standards of a fair trial.

9- The appointed government interferes in the Court affairs and puts pressure on it. An example for this intervention is the statement made by Jawad Al-Maliki about an imminent execution of President Saddam Hussein. This is violation to the fair trial standards. The Court should renounce such statements and consider them interventions in judicial affairs. Th independence of the judiciary is guaranteed by the Constitution. The Court should declare clearly, frankly and in public that it will be away from any intervention from any source whatever it may be and that it will reject any interventions.

10- The Iraqi High Criminal Court should have a clear and declared attitude regarding the assassination of martyr Khamis Obeidi and the other colleagues of the Defense Committee. The Court should also declare its attitude towards the terrorist threats and the very incitement against them.

11- Lawyer Saleh Armouti the President of the Jordan Bar Assosiation and lawyer Bushra Al-Khalil should be enabled to resume their professional and legal mission as members of the Defense Committee. For this the Court should be pledge that it will not disapprove or move out any lawyer because of his legal arguments.

12-The Court should not enforce our clients, and to the contrary of their will and acceptance to accept appointed defense lawyers from the Office of the Defense which belongs to the Court.

13-The acts of torturing President Saddam Hussein and his comrades should be investigated.

14-The Court should respond to the Defense' requests to get the documents of the Dujail case.