Amnesty International criticized the death sentence and said the trial was "deeply flawed and unfair." The process was marred by "serious flaws that call into question the capacity of the tribunal," Malcolm Stuart, director of Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa program, said. "In particular, political interference undermined the independence and impartiality of the court." The specific concerns raised by Amnesty International included the status of the trial as a "Special Trial" (unconstitutional according to the Iraqi Constitution), political interference in trial proceedings by the removal of a judge mid-trial, exclusion of members of the defense team at points in the trial, assassination of multiple members of the defence team, and the closure of the trial before the defence team had completed presenting its legal case. In the opening statement of the Jury of Conscience of the World Tribunal on Iraq, keynote speaker Arundhati Roy retorted, "Saddam Hussein is being tried as a war criminal even as we speak. But what about those who helped to install him in power, who armed him, who supported him—and who are now setting up a tribunal to try him and absolve themselves completely?" Legacy and long-term effects Journalist Mohamad Bazzi wrote in 2014 that Hussein's trial and execution deepened sectarianism in Iraq: See also 2003 invasion of Iraq Victor's justice Show trial References External links Saddam's final message/letter to the world - on his Ba'ath party's website 2 January 2007 World Rights Group critice Saddam Hussein's flawed trial Many Children hang themselves in imitation of Saddam Hussein's death Saddam's last hours Iraqi Special Tribunal (IST) homepage Grotian Moment: The Saddam Hussein Trial Blog Bombings kill over 60 people, mostly Shiites, 3 American soldiers, revenge for Saddam's death, 30 December 2006 Shiite professor dies in Iraq, Diya al-Meqoter, one of many Daoud al-Qaissi, Saddam's singer executed Hussein Legal history of Iraq 2000s in Iraq Saddam Hussein 2005 in law 2006 in law 2005 in Iraq 2006 in Iraq de:Saddam Hussein#Der Prozess ru:Суд над Саддамом Хусейном