Former Iraqi Vice President Sentenced To Death

The Iraqi High Tribunal has raised the sentence against Saddam Hussein's vice president, Taha Yassin Ramadan, to death by hanging.

Ramadan was sentenced in November to life in prison for crimes against humanity after being convicted with Hussein and several others for their roles in the killing of 148 Shi'a in the town of Al-Dujayl in the 1980s.

An appeals court recommended Ramadan receive the death penalty, and had referred the case back to the High Tribunal for a final decision.

"God knows I didn't do anything wrong," Ramadan said shortly before hearing the sentence.

If the ruling is upheld on appeal, Ramadan will be the fourth to face capital punishment. Hussein and two co-defendants have all been hanged.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour and international rights groups have appealed for Ramadan's life to be spared.

New York-based Human Rights Watch says there was a lack of evidence tying Ramadan to the Al-Dujayl killings.

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