Saddam Hussein Judge Replaced

Saddam Hussein in court (file photo) (epa) September 20, 2006 -- The entire defense team of lawyers in the trial of ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and six others for genocide today walked out of a Baghdad court following the replacement of the chief judge.

The Iraqi prime minister's office said the government asked the high tribunal to fire Chief Judge Abdullah al-Amiri because he lost his "neutrality" last week when he said Hussein had not been a "dictator."

The U.S.-based Human Rights Watch group has accused the government of interfering with the court's independence by demanding the judge's removal.

(compiled from agency reports)