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Iraqi Government says Tariq Aziz 'in good
health'
16.1.2006 |
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Baghdad, 16 Jan.
(AKI) - The Iraqi government on Monday said that the
jailed former deputy prime-minister Tariq Aziz is
"in good health," rejecting claims last week that he
is close to death, after suffering a stroke and a
heart-attack. The statement, made by Iraq's health
ministry, was carried by the Kuwaiti daily al-Rai
al-Amm. "Iraq's former vice-premier is currently in
good health, and reports that he is dying are false
and unfounded. Tariq Aziz is regularly receiving all
the medication he requires," read the statement.
A delegation from Iraq's justice ministry has
visited Aziz in prison, and will pay him another
visit in the next few days, to assess his physical
health, according to al-Rai al-Amm.
Last Thursday, Aziz's lawyer, Badi Aref Ezzat was
quoted by pan-Arab daily al-Hayat saying: "I don't
believe he [Aziz] will live longer than another
month," the attorney said, adding that Aziz's tiny
two square metre prison cell was "only fit to keep
dogs in." |
Tariq Aziz, The former deputy prime minister of Iraq
Photo : AFP
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Aziz been detained for nearly three years in an
unspecified location, but has so far not been
charged with any specific crimes. At the end last
month, the president of the panel probing deposed
Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, Raid Juhi, told al-Hayat
that Aziz must stay in jail because is still under
investigation. Aziz, the only Christian in Saddam's
regime, was allowed over Christmas to speak to his
family for the first time since his detention in
2003.
Aziz was the Eight of Spades in the United States'
playing card pack depicting the most wanted members
of the former Iraqi regime, and surrendered into US
custody on 24 April, 2003, days after the invasion
of Iraq.
Aziz alleges that decisions to declare war, suppress
a revolt or a civil mutiny were taken by Saddam, and
had nothing to do with him. However, as a member of
Iraq's Revolutionary Command Council, he has been
accused by Indict, the committee seeking to
prosecute the Iraqi leadership, of war crimes
against Iran, Kuwait and his own people.
As Iraq's foreign minister in the 1980s and 1990s,
Aziz represented Saddam's regime on the world stage
for many years. He enlisted American support for
Baghdad in its 1980-1988 conflict with Iran. After
Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, and the the first
Gulf war that ensued, Aziz became an instantly
recognisable figure in the world media as he
shuttled frenetically between foreign capitals,
seeking to enlist support for his country.
At home, he survived Saddam's political purges and
an assassination attempt by Iranian-backed radicals
in 1980.
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