Saddam Hussein : Historic Trial Begins in Baghdad

On this day, October 19, 2005, former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and seven co-defendants appeared in court to face charges of crimes against humanity, including the killing of 148 Shiites in Dujail in 1982. The trial, broadcast worldwide, marked a critical turning point in post-war Iraq, as Saddam defiantly rejected the court’s legitimacy and pleaded not guilty to all charges. The proceedings set the stage for broader accountability for atrocities committed during his regime.