On May 29, Sergio A

On May 29, Sergio A. Duarte Scull and Carlos R. Pelaez Prieto, convicted in January for shooting to death two Italian tourists, Fabio Usubelli and Michele Niccolai, in September 1998, were executed. The trial of the two took place behind closed doors and with massive security around the courtroom in downtown Havana. The Cubans confessed at their trial to killing other tourists, including a German in 1997 and a Canadian of Iranian origin in 1988. The death-sentences announced followed a speech in January by Fidel Castro calling for tougher sentencing of criminals, in particular for drug trafficking. Foreign Ministry spokesman Alejandro Gonzalez said: "In our country, the death penalty is an exceptional measure which is applied for very horrendous crimes and only in cases outlined in the law."