Who is tariq al hashimi

Prosecutors said Hashemi was involved in killings. During his trial in absentia in Baghdad, some of his former bodyguards said Mr Hashemi had ordered murders. He says the charges against him are politically motivated and has accused Mr Maliki of fuelling sectarianism. On Sunday, an Iraqi court found Hashemi and his son-in-law guilty of two murders and sentenced him to death by hanging. The judge dismissed a third charge for lack of evidence. Although violence has decreased since its peak in and , attacks have escalated again after the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq at the end of last year, amid increasing political and sectarian tensions.

The Iraqi government has been hampered by divisions between Sunni, Shia and Kurdish political groups. The Iraqi government said July was the deadliest month in nearly two years, with people killed. The conviction — which came in abesentia — was for the deaths of a lawyer and a security official. The judge acquitted al-Hashemi and his son-in-law in a third case due to lack of evidence, The Associated Press reported. More from GlobalPost: Al-Hashemi goes on trial for murder in absentia.

Iraq's fugitive vice-president has declared his "absolute innocence" after he was sentenced to death on charges of masterminding the murder of rivals. Tariq al-Hashemi, who fled Iraq after the government brought charges against him, rejected the conviction as a politically motivated sham and said he would not return for an appeal unless he could be assured of a fair day in court.

Hashemi, a Sunni, said a fair trial would be impossible in Baghdad and accused the Shia prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, of manipulating the courts against him as part of a political vendetta. I'm proud that it is Maliki, and not anyone else, to target me. I reiterate that I'm innocent, and am ready to stand before a fair judicial system and not a corrupt one that is under Maliki's influence.

Asked whether he would return to Baghdad within 30 days to seek a retrial, as is his right under Iraqi law, Hashemi said: "I'm not going, regardless of the timescale that has been offered to me. Spokespeople for Maliki and the Iraqi government could not be reached for comment. Hashemi fled to Turkey after the Iraqi government issued the terror charges against him in December, a day after US troops withdrew from the country.