[JURIST] The lawyer for former Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz [Wikipedia profile] announced Thursday that he expects his client to be released from US custody shortly without being put on trial. Badia Aref told Reuters that due to legal developments that could not be disclosed, he expected his client to be freed soon. Aref also denied rumors that Aziz would become a witness in the Saddam Hussein trial [JURIST news archive]. Aziz, who is said to be in ill health, is expected to meet with his family during the next few days, after speaking with them on the phone [JURIST report] last week for the first time in two years. Reuters has more.

Previously on JURIST’s Paper Chase…

• Former Iraq deputy prime minister Aziz gets family call in prison
• Former Iraq deputy PM Aziz says he won't testify against Saddam
• Iraqi Special Tribunal questions Aziz about Kurd killings