Rizgar Mohammed Amin
Encyclopedia
Rizgar Mohammed Amin (born 1958) is the former chief judge of the Iraqi Special Tribunal's Al-Dujail trial. He is the only judge whose name was revealed on the trial's opening on 19 October 2005, the names of the other four judges and all but two of his four colleagues faces not allowed to be shown during the televised portions of the trial.(Telegraph.co.uk - 12:30AM GMT 15 January 2006)
Amin graduated from the Law School of Baghdad University in 1980. He is an ethnic Kurd, though he has no record of political activism, or connections to the Peshmerga
. He was a regional judge during the presidency of Saddam Hussein
. Amin lives in Sulaymaniyah
with his wife Nazanin Ahmed (born 1962) and four children, born between 1990 and 2001.
Because he had refused to join the Ba'ath party, he was only admitted to the college of judges in 1990, after working in a subordinate position for ten years. Amin was appointed chief judge of the regional court by Jalal Talabani
in the mid-1990s.
On 14 January 2006, he resigned as chief judge of the trials of Saddam Hussein, citing government interference and harsh public criticism. He was urged by colleagues, as well as by the Iraqi and US governments, to reconsider his position, but declined. He was replaced by Rauf Rashid Abd al-Rahman
.
Amin graduated from the Law School of Baghdad University in 1980. He is an ethnic Kurd, though he has no record of political activism, or connections to the Peshmerga
Peshmerga
Peshmerga or Peshmerge is the term used by Kurds to refer to armed Kurdish fighters. Literally meaning "those who face death" the Peshmerga forces of Kurdistan have been in existence since the advent of the Kurdish independence movement in the early 1920s, following the collapse of the Ottoman...
. He was a regional judge during the presidency of Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
. Amin lives in Sulaymaniyah
Sulaymaniyah
Sulaymaniyah is a city in Iraqi Kurdistan, Iraq. It is the capital of Sulaymaniyah Governorate. Sulaymaniyah is surrounded by the Azmar Range, Goizja Range and the Qaiwan Range in the north east, Baranan Mountain in the south and the Tasluje Hills in the west. The city has a semi-arid climate with...
with his wife Nazanin Ahmed (born 1962) and four children, born between 1990 and 2001.
Because he had refused to join the Ba'ath party, he was only admitted to the college of judges in 1990, after working in a subordinate position for ten years. Amin was appointed chief judge of the regional court by Jalal Talabani
Jalal Talabani
Jalal Talabani is the sixth and current President of Iraq, a leading Kurdish politician. He is the first non-Arab president of Iraq, although Abdul Kareem Qasim was half Kurdish....
in the mid-1990s.
On 14 January 2006, he resigned as chief judge of the trials of Saddam Hussein, citing government interference and harsh public criticism. He was urged by colleagues, as well as by the Iraqi and US governments, to reconsider his position, but declined. He was replaced by Rauf Rashid Abd al-Rahman
Rauf Rashid Abd al-Rahman
Rauf Rashid Abd al-Rahman was the replacement chief judge of the Supreme Iraqi Criminal Tribunal's Al-Dujail trial of Saddam Hussein in 2006....
.
External links
- Saddam Hussein judge to quit trial, friend says, Guardian UnlimitedGuardian Unlimitedguardian.co.uk, formerly known as Guardian Unlimited, is a British website owned by the Guardian Media Group. Georgina Henry is the editor...
14 January 2006 - Saddam trial judge offers to quit, BBC NewsBBC News OnlineBBC News Online is the website of BBC News, the division of the BBC responsible for newsgathering and production. The website is the most popular news website in the United Kingdom and forms a major part of BBC Online ....
15 January 2006 - Pressure on Saddam judge to stay in job, Guardian Unlimited 16 January 2006
- Iraq court names new Saddam judge, BBC News 23 January 2006