The Italian Senate approved with unanimous votes the...

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.