ITALY: THE CHAMBER APPROVES ZAMPARUTTI'S MOTION IN FAVOUR OF A NEW UN PRO MORATORIUM RESOLUTION

today the Chamber of Deputies unanimously approved (with only two abstentions) a motion presented by Radical Parliamentarian Elisabetta Zamparutti and signed by representatives of all political groups. The motion urges the Government to “intervene against the Iranian authorities to prevent the execution of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani and to cancel death sentences against minors under 18 years of age.”
The motion further commits the Government to “commence, in view of the vote at the UN General Assembly on the pro-moratorium Resolution, an action to increase the number of cosponsors and votes in favour and to strengthen the following points of the new text : the abolition of ‘state secrecy’ regarding the death penalty; the limitation of the death penalty to the most serious crimes; the abolition of the mandatory death sentence for certain types of crimes.”
Besides the case of Sakineh and the imminent vote at the United Nations, the parliamentary initiative was also made in view of October 10, the “World Day Against the death penalty.” Accordingly, Hands Off Cain announced a series of initiatives that will be presented at a conference in Rome next October 9.