Cardinal Poupard: Hussein Should Be Spared

 

VATICAN CITY, JUNE 21, 2006 (Zenit.org).- The president of the pontifical councils for Interreligious Dialogue and for Culture urged that Saddam Hussein not be sentenced to death, recalling that "human life is always inviolable."

"The Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Pope reiterate that every person is a creature of God, and that no one can consider himself the proprietor of another's life and death, except the Creator," Cardinal Paul Poupard told the Italian agency ANSA today.

"Life is a gift, and this is a universal principle and there are no exceptions," he said. "Every creature, including the most unfortunate, was created in the image and likeness of the Lord. God is master of life and death."

The sentence of the Iraqi court that is trying the former dictator is expected to be made public in August.