Iraqi law allows former president Saddam Hussein to appoint Arab and foreign lawyers to defend himself, an official of the Iraqi Lawyers Association was quoted bythe local newspaper Azzaman as saying on Sunday.

"The former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein has the right to appoint a lawyer, for the conditions of the fair trial is based on appointing a lawyer to defend the accused, and he has the right to appoint Iraqi, Arab,or foreign lawyer," said Dhiyaa Al Sadi, secretary general of the association.

He added that the amended lawyer's law in 1965 stipulated that any lawyer who is a member of one of the lawyer's associations in the Arab countries can plead in front of the Iraqi courts.

The Iraqi criminal court law issued by the dissolved Interim Iraqi Governing Council also stipulated the right of the accused when interrogated by a judge to appoint an Iraqi lawyer, he said

An Arab or foreign lawyer, regardless of his nationality could assist this Iraqi lawyer, who is considered as the main lawyer, he continued.

Source: Xinhua