MOSCOW Russias foreign ministry on Wednesday called for “clemency” for former Iraqi deputy premier Tariq Aziz after he was sentenced to death by hanging for murder and crimes against humanity.

“It is obvious that considerations of elementary humanity demand that he is shown clemency,” the ministry said in a statement, calling on the Iraqi authorities to take account of Aziz's age and failing health.

“We would like to be able to count on Iraqs presidential council not allowing this sentence to be enforced,” the ministry said, acknowledging however that the sentence was Iraqs “internal affair.”

Iraq's supreme criminal court imposed the death sentence on Tariq Aziz, the long-time international face of the Saddam Hussein government, on Tuesday after finding him guilty of “deliberate murder and crimes against humanity”. Russian lawmakers earlier in the day denounced the death sentence imposed on Mr Aziz.

“What has happened in Iraq is the elimination of a witness and a settling of accounts between different religions, not a victory for justice,” Mikhail Margelov, the head of the foreign affairs committee in Russia's upper house, the Federation Council, was quoted as saying by Interfax.

“Nothing can justify this sentence,” he added.

“We will... call on the international community and parliamentarians in Europe and the United States to prevent this assassination,” the head of Russias Communist Party, Gennady Zyuganov, was quoted as saying by Interfax, describing Aziz as “a very sick old man.” —AFP