Iraqi judge who presided over Saddam Hussein’s trial dies of COVID-19

Muhammad Oreibi, the judge who presided over the trial of Saddam Hussein, former president of Iraq, has died of COVID-19 complications.

In a condolence message on Friday, Iraq’s supreme judicial council said the judge died in a hospital in Baghdad where he was receiving treatment for COVID-19 complications.

Oreibi took over in 2006 as the lead judge in Saddam’s genocide trial — the former Iraqi president was later found guilty of crimes against humanity,

Oreibi replaced Abdullah al-Amiri, who was removed as judge following accusations that the latter was too lenient on the former president during the trial.

Oreibi, upon taking over, was firm and tolerated very little disruptions from Saddam and his co-defendants in the courtroom.

Saddam was found guilty of crimes against humanity in 2006 and sentenced to death by hanging.

The council, in the statement on Friday, condoled with Oreibi’s family, and praised the late judge for his courage in handling Saddam’s trial.

“The courageous Judge Muhammad Oreibi was one of the most prominent judges who possessed all the positive qualities of the ideal judge, most notably his courage in confronting the trial of the symbols of the previous dictatorial regime,” the statement reads.

“He remains immortal in the hearts of Iraqis in general and judges in particular.”

Oreibi is said to have graduated from the faculty of law at the University of Baghdad in 1992.l, and became a judge in 2000 after being appointed by a presidential decree.