By Diadie Ba

DAKAR, May 21 (Reuters) - Senegal named a top judge on Wednesday to coordinate the trial of former Chadian dictator Hissene Habre, who is accused of torturing and killing suspected opponents during his 1982-1990 rule.

Senegal, where Habre has lived since his overthrow, was ordered by the African Union almost two years ago to try him in what campaigners say would be the first time a developing nation has tried someone for human rights crimes committed in another.

But slow progress towards a trial has exasperated human rights organisations campaigning on behalf of victims who they say are at risk of dying with neither justice nor compensation while Habre lives a comfortable life in exile.

Senegal's Justice Minister Madicke Niang named Ibrahima Gueye to coordinate the trial, in line with recommendations from a European Union legal expert advising the Senegalese government on the Habre case.

"By appointing Ibrahima Gueye we have taken a serious decision to move closer to a trial," Niang told European diplomats, human rights campaigners and journalists.

COST

Niang said the estimated cost of the trial had been revised down to 18 billion CFA francs ($43.26 million).

An earlier cost projection of 43 billion CFA had raised eyebrows among international donors who are expected to foot most of the bill for the trial.

Senegal's National Assembly passed a bill last month modifying the country's legal code to allow its courts to try crimes either committed abroad or more than 10 years old.

Niang said the National Assembly and Senate would need to hold a joint session in order to remove a final constitutional obstacle to Habre's trial, paving the way for a trial to begin.

"This is a good step in the right direction, but it's been almost two years since the African Union (mandated Senegal to try Habre), eight years since he was first indicted," said Reed Brody, a lawyer with U.S.-based Human Rights Watch.

"Justice delayed is justice denied," said Brody, who has worked with victims' groups to prepare evidence against Habre since before he was first indicted on charges of torture and crimes against humanity in 2000.

A Senegalese court later ruled it was not competent to try him. Attempts to bring him to trial in Belgium failed when Senegal refused to extradite Habre there in 2005.

Instead, President Abdoulaye Wade referred the matter to African heads of state and the African Union subsequently mandated Senegal to try him.

Brody urged Senegalese public prosecutors to decide soon whether to bring broad-ranging charges against Habre -- as brought against Slobodan Milosevic -- or narrow specimen charges, as brought against Saddam Hussein, which he said would likely make for a quicker and cheaper trial.

The former Serbian autocrat Milosevic died in 2006 while on trial in The Hague for crimes against humanity. Saddam, deposed in the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, was executed after being convicted for crimes against humanity. (For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: http://africa.reuters.com) (Additional reporting by Alistair Thomson; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

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