The station did not give any reason for this change, but the Iraqi government reportedly has requested the court to sack Judge Abdullah al-Amiri, saying he had lost "neutrality".

Al-Iraqiya didn't mention the name of the new judge. The court could not be immediately reached to confirm this.

Saddam and his cousin Ali Hassan al-Majeed, known as "Chemical Ali," and five others were charged for their alleged involvement in anti-Kurdish Anfal campaign in late 1980s.

Chief prosecutor Munqith al-Faroon has demanded resign of al-Amiri for alleged being biased toward the defendants, after he allowed Saddam to lash out at Kurdish witnesses in the court. Al-Amiri even told the former leader in a session last week that "you were not a dictator."