One of Saddam Hussein's most prominent deputies, Tareq Aziz, has been sentenced to death.

Iraq's high tribunal passed the judgement over the persecution of Islamic parties.

The death sentence is the first to be handed to Aziz.

He was the face of Saddam's government in foreign capitals and at the United Nations.

He became more widely recognised at the time of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and the 1991 Gulf War when he was foreign minister.