Ramadan Executed

Taha Yassin Ramadan, Saddam Hussein's former vice president, was hanged this morning.

In order to prevent a repeat of the shambles of the execution of Barzan Hassan, who was decapitated, Ramadan was weighed before the execution and the appropriate size rope was chosen.

Ramadan was sentenced to life in prison in November 2006. However, in December 2006 the appeals chamber decided the original sentence was too lenient and ordered the court to resentence him.

The decision to execute him has been criticised by coalition officials, non governmental groups in Iraq and some members of Iraq's legal advisory community who have suggested that the judges came under pressure from politicians.

Death Sentence Confirmed

An Iraqi appeals court has upheld the death sentence against Taha Yassin Ramadan, Saddam Hussein's former vice president.

Taha Yassin Ramadan was convicted in November, along with Hussein and six others, for the killing of some 140 Shi'a in the 1980s.

He was initially sentenced to life in prison, but that sentence was later raised by a higher court and automatically sent to an appeals panel.

Ramadan's execution is to be carried out within 30 days.

Human Rights Watch has called for the death sentence against Ramadan to be repealed.