Iraq detainees to get vote -- including Saddam

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/MAC060886.htm

Iraq detainees to get vote -- including Saddam

BAGHDAD, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Thousands of detainees in Iraqi jails should be able to vote in the constitutional referendum this week -- including former president Saddam Hussein, the country's Electoral Commission said.

Though details on Monday were scant, it raised the unlikely prospect of Saddam and his aides marking "Yes" or "No" to a constitution that specifically bans the "Saddamist Baath party".

Commission officials said ballot boxes would be sent to the U.S.-run Abu Ghraib prison and other camps where about 10,000 mainly Sunni prisoners are held, often without charge, on suspicion of joining a revolt. Sunni leaders have called for a "No" vote or a boycott of the ballot.

"All unconvicted detainees will have the right to vote in the referendum," the Commission's Adil al-Lami told a news conference, saying they would vote on Thursday, two days ahead of the national ballot on Saturday.

[alkaline9]

1. i smell voter fraud via "US run" prisons...nt

[rodeodance]

2. well, SH has not yet been found guilty in a court of law.

[cantstandbush]

3. That's more than the US does for prisoners.

What is going on?

[cantstandbush]

5. What would happen if the majority "wrote in" Saddam's name?

Would he be able to take back leadership of Iraq?

[enigma000]

6. Iraqi law applies not US state law n/t

[VegasWolf]

4. Yeah right, the guards will just fill out the forms the "correct" way for

the prisoners.

[ckramer]

7. Saddam may be allowed to vote

A top Iraqi election officer has said Iraqi law will allow Saddam Hussein and thousands of other Iraqi detainees who have not been brought to trial to vote in this weekend's crucial constitutional referendum.

"All non-convicted detainees have the right to vote. That includes Saddam and other former government officials. They will vote," Hindawi said.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/C18691DA-F22D-4335-991F-5C9320822E86.htm">link