MOSCOW. Oct 29 (Interfax) - Chairman of the State Duma's International Affairs Committee, Konstantin Kosachyov, will propose early next week that the lower house adopt a statement demanding the anulment of the death sentence handed down to Tariq Aziz, Iraq's former deputy prime minister and foreign minster under Saddam Hussein.
"I am a staunch opponent of the death penalty, whoever the target is. Moreover, I don't see any sense in this verdict, in personal or political terms. Whatever is involved here - the personal vengeance by the current rulers, elected under a new democratic procedure, or the desire by the authors of Iraq's democratization to cover up their deeds - the verdict is inappropriately robust and unfair. I will propose that my colleagues accept this approach as the State Duma's position," Kosachyov said in his blog.
He added that he had personally met with Aziz on many occasions and had "always had the feeling that he was different from those who surrounded Saddam Hussein - not because he is a Christian, but because he had a different understanding of what was going on in and outside Iraq, trying to facilitate mutual - indeed mutual - rapprochement. This does not rid one of responsibility for the regime's deeds, but there is responsibility and responsibility."
Aziz was sentenced to death by hanging by Iraq's Supreme Court on Tuesday in connection with the persecution of religious parties.