Home
Maliki calls on Hashemi to attend the court before it is too late
16/01/2012 13:32
BAGHDAD, Jan. 16 (AKnews) - Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law Coalition called on Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi to attend court in Baghdad warning that his absence will prevent him defending himself.
The Iraqi judiciary rejected yesterday Hashemi’s request to transfer his trial to courts of Kirkuk or Kurdistan.
Hashemi fled with his protection detail to Kurdistan Region after an arrest warrant was issued for him by a Baghdad court on Dec. 19, on charges of supporting terrorism.
Salman al-Moussawi, a close confidant of Maliki told AKnews that Hashemi’s continued absence will force the judiciary to issue judgments in absentia.
“We hope that he attends trial and proves his innocence," he said.
Following the arrest warrant episode the feud escalated even further between SLC and Iraqiya List after Maliki decided to to sack his deputy, Saleh al-Mutlaq. The deputy PM had likened Maliki to Saddam Hussein, which went down badly.
As a result Iraqiya began a boycott of the Councils of Representatives and Ministers, accusing Maliki of authoritarianism.
Iraqiya List denounced Maliki’s decision to appoint alternative ministers to fill in for the absent politicians. The bloc spokeswoman Maysoon al-Damlouji said in a press statement that "this decision is unconstitutional. On this basis we call on all blocs not to comply with such unconstitutional decisions.”
Iraqiya List led by Ayad Allawi believe the judiciary's decision to reject Hashemi’s demand to move the trial out of Baghdad is not final and can be discussed.
Iraqiya member Muzher Khudur told AKnews that Hashemi’s issue was politicized from the beginning so we call on the Iraqi judiciary to stay away politicization.
"The issue must be transferred instead of being kept in Baghdad. The judiciary depends on the investigators and we doubt them because the investigators use illegal means to extract confessions."
The Kurds have intervened between the SLC and Iraqiya List and launched an initiative to bring the views and protect the political system.
President Jalal Talabani launched a series of dialogues between the two parties that resulted in the formation of a preparatory committee that precedes holding a national conference early next month to try and hammer out some kind of a deal between the different factions.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
