DEATH PENALTY·AUGUST 3, 2001·1 MIN READ

COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS SET UP BY THE SENATE

The Italian Senate established a commission with the purpose of promoting and safeguarding human rights in Italy and around the world.

Roma, 2nd August 2001: the Italian Senate approved with unanimous votes the motion which establishes, for the first time in the history of the Italian Parliament, a special commission for the promotion of human rights. Senator Patrizia Toia was amongst the first to sign the motion. The Senate will also engage the Italian government to act both in Europe and the world in order to promote initiatives with the purpose of abolishing the death penalty. This is another victory along the road which had brought Hands Off Cain to successfully request the establishment, under the last legislature, of an informal committee against the death penalty and the setting up in Parliament of a committee against the death penalty only a week ago. The Commission is to be formed of 25 Senators and in order to carry out its role of observing, monitoring and initiating human rights it will coordinate with local governments and international organisations, moving wherever necessary. Hands off Cain believes that this newly born Commission will be a useful instrument in the battle to impose a moratorium on capital executions at the UN General Assembly.

— SOURCES

Adnkronos, 02/08/2001