Baghdad, 13 March (AKI) - A prominent Shia Iraqi cleric has called for the release of Iraqi journalist Montazer al-Zaidi, a day after he was sentenced to three years in jail for throwing his shoes at former United States president George W. Bush.

Sheik Suhail al-Iqabi said the sentence against al-Zaidi was "a verdict against the Iraqi people who reject the American occupation."

Al-Iqabi, who supports hardline Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, made the remarks during Friday prayers in Baghdad's Sadr City.

On Thursday, Iraq's Criminal High Court invoked article 223 of the Iraqi Constitution and sentenced al-Zaidi for the shoe-throwing incident that occurred last December.

The article provides for punishment of between three and 15 years in prison for assaulting a foreign leader on an official visit, al-Birqadar said.

However, al-Zaidi's sentence will not final unless it is ratified by the Court of Cassation which has a month to uphold or amend the verdict.

On Thursday, the Iraqi Journalists' Syndicate and the Journalistic Freedoms Observatory appealed to Iraqi president Jalal Talabani and prime minister Nouri al-Maliki to pardon al-Zaidi.

The incident in which al-Zaidi also hurled insults at Bush, was broadcast around the world. Iraqi officials have described it as shameful.

Al-Zaidi threw his first shoe at Bush as he yelled "This is a gift from the Iraqis. This is the farewell kiss, you dog,"

As he threw his second shoe, he said: "This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq." As Bush avoided the shoes, al-Zaidi was quickly wrestled to the ground by security guards.

In the Arab world, throwing your shoes or exposing the soles of your shoes is one of the worst signs of disrespect.