Please Make Them Stop

Internationally recognized human rights groups are feeling a little sorry for one of the grossest violators of human rights in the second half of the 20th Century:

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Three days before Saddam Hussein goes on trial for crimes against humanity, human rights groups have raised profound concerns about the independence of the court trying him and whether it meets international standards.

Among other issues, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have expressed unease about limits on the ability of the accused to mount a defence, the burden of proof, political sway over the court and use of the death penalty.

Questions also surround the fact the Iraqi government has passed new laws governing the court, but has not yet brought them into force. Those new statutes could take effect in the next few days, or after the trial begins, raising further doubts about the clarity of procedures.

Saddam and seven others are due to appear in court on October 19 on charges of premeditated murder in the deaths of more than 140 Shi'ite men from the village of Dujail, north of Baghdad, following a failed attempt on the then-president's life in 1982.

Emphasis mine. What would it take to stop these people? Their sole issue is the death penalty. Saddam murdered hundreds of thousands of innocents. Does he not deserve to be put to death? Not in the eyes of these groups. They can argue about access to lawyers and such, but the main issue to them is the chance that a homicidal dictator will be executed. What a horrible conundrum they are in.