Italy's premier condemned Wednesday the death sentence against Saddam Hussein, reiterating Italy's opposition to capital punishment while acknowledging that the ousted Iraqi leader had committed many crimes.

"While I don't want to minimize the crimes committed by Saddam Hussein, and the ferocity with which he governed during his regime, and while respecting the autonomy and legitimacy of Iraqi institutions, I must express the Italian government's - and my personal - firm opposition to the death sentence," Prodi said in a statement.

An appeals court decision upholding Saddam Hussein's death sentence for crimes against humanity is final and does not require the approval of President Jalal Talabani, a presidential spokesman said Wednesday.

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"The president's approval is not needed," said Hiwa Osman, Talabani's media adviser. "The court's decision is final."

Iraqi officials had said prior to the appeals court ruling on Tuesday, which upheld the death sentence and said it must be carried out within 30 days, that any decision to impose the death penalty must be ratified by Talabani and Iraq's two vice presidents.

The appeals court ruled the death sentence must be carried out within 30 days.

"The appeal court has approved the death sentence. [The government] has the right to choose the date starting from tomorrow up to 30 days. After 30 days it will be an obligation to implement the sentence," the head of the Iraqi High Tribunal, Aref Abdul-Razzaq al-Shahin, told a news conference.

Saddam, 69, was sentenced to death on November 5 for crimes against humanity over the killings of 148 Shi'ites from the town of Dujail after he escaped assassination there in 1982.

Saddam's half-brother Barzan al-Tikriti and former judge Awad al-Bander also received the death penalty for their part in the incident. The court also rejected their appeals.

The court recommended toughening the sentence on former Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan, who had been sentenced to life in prison over the Dujail killings, saying he should also be executed.

"Amnesty International is very disappointed about this decision," a spokeswoman for the human rights organization said.

"We are against the death penalty as a matter of principle but particulary in this case because it comes after a flawed trial."

Saddam's chief defence counsel Khalil al-Dulaimi told Reuters from Amman: "If they dare implement the sentence it will be a catastrophe for the region and will only deepen the sectarian infighting."

Saddam is still on trial with six others for genocide against ethnic Kurds in a military campaign in northern Iraq in the 1980s. Shahin said the trial would continue without Saddam.

Many human rights and legal experts have argued that Saddam could not get a fair trial in a country torn by sectarian conflict that has killed tens of thousands of Iraqis.