Awad Hamed al-Bandar, Iraqi lawyer and judge (b. 1945)

Awad Hamad al-Bandar, also identified by his full Arabic name عواد حمد بندر السعدون (Awad Hamad Bandar Alsa'doon), was an Iraqi chief judge who served prominently under the authoritarian regime of President Saddam Hussein. Born on 2 January 1945, al-Bandar's career was deeply entrenched in the apparatus of the ruling Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, through which he ascended to a position of considerable power within the Iraqi judicial system.

The Revolutionary Court: An Instrument of the Ba'ath Regime

Al-Bandar gained notoriety as the head of Iraq's Revolutionary Court, a judicial body established during Saddam Hussein's presidency. Unlike independent courts, the Revolutionary Court functioned primarily as a tool for the Ba'ath Party to suppress dissent and consolidate power. Its proceedings were often swift, lacking due process, and its verdicts were frequently dictated by political expediency rather than legal principles. This court played a crucial role in maintaining the regime's control through fear and intimidation, issuing harsh sentences, including capital punishment, against perceived enemies of the state.

The Dujail Incident and Its Aftermath

Awad Hamad al-Bandar's most significant and controversial involvement in the Iraqi judiciary came in the wake of a failed assassination attempt on President Saddam Hussein. On 8 July 1982, Saddam Hussein's motorcade was targeted in the predominantly Shi'ite town of Dujail, located north of Baghdad. The regime responded with brutal and swift reprisals against the town's inhabitants, viewing the entire community as complicit in the attack.

It was al-Bandar's Revolutionary Court that oversaw the subsequent mass trial of Dujail residents. Despite widespread accusations of arbitrary arrests, torture, and a complete disregard for fair legal proceedings, the court, under al-Bandar's direct leadership, issued death sentences against 143 individuals from Dujail. These sentences were for alleged involvement in the assassination plot, though many of the condemned, including women and children, were later found to have had no connection to the incident. This act became a cornerstone of the human rights abuses attributed to Saddam Hussein's regime and a focal point of al-Bandar's legacy.

Trial, Conviction, and Execution

Following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's government in 2003, Awad Hamad al-Bandar was apprehended and subsequently stood trial before the Iraqi Special Tribunal. This court, established to prosecute former regime officials for crimes against humanity and other offenses, charged al-Bandar for his pivotal role in the Dujail mass killings. On 5 November 2006, he was convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death by hanging for his part in ordering the execution of the Dujail residents. Awad Hamad al-Bandar was executed on 15 January 2007, alongside Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti, Saddam Hussein's half-brother and former intelligence chief, in what was seen as a move to bring accountability for the atrocities committed under the former regime.

Frequently Asked Questions about Awad Hamad al-Bandar

Who was Awad Hamad al-Bandar?
Awad Hamad al-Bandar was an Iraqi chief judge and a prominent member of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party who headed the Revolutionary Court under Saddam Hussein's presidency. He is primarily known for his role in the Dujail trial, where he oversaw the sentencing of 143 residents to death.
What was the Iraqi Revolutionary Court?
The Revolutionary Court was a special judicial body in Iraq under Saddam Hussein's regime. It operated outside standard legal procedures, serving as a political instrument to suppress dissent and punish perceived enemies of the state, often issuing politically motivated death sentences and other severe penalties.
What was Awad Hamad al-Bandar's role in the Dujail Incident?
Al-Bandar, as the head of the Revolutionary Court, presided over the trial of 143 Dujail residents accused of involvement in a failed assassination attempt on Saddam Hussein in 1982. Despite a lack of fair trial standards, his court issued death sentences against these individuals, making him a key figure in the subsequent massacre.
When was Awad Hamad al-Bandar executed?
Awad Hamad al-Bandar was executed by hanging on 15 January 2007, after being convicted of crimes against humanity by the Iraqi Special Tribunal for his role in the Dujail killings.