BAGHDAD, July 12 (UPI) -- Saddam Hussein was hanged in effigy in Baghdad Monday to symbolize the desire of Iraqis to see him executed at the end of his trial by a special court.
The fake execution of the ousted Iraqi leader took place in al-Tahrir, or liberation, Square in the heart of the Iraqi capital as the protesters carried banners slamming the former dictator and demanding his death for crimes he committed against the Iraqi people.
Demonstrations have taken place in several Iraqi cities in the past few days to protest offers and demands by Arab lawyers to travel to Baghdad to defend Saddam, whose trial kicked off last week with the official announcement of charges ranging from crimes against humanity to genocide.
Saddam and 11 of his senior aides appeared in from of a special Iraqi court to hear the charges against them.
