The Uganda Law Society (ULS) launched a new book attacking...

The Uganda Law Society (ULS) launched a new book attacking the use of death penalty in Uganda at the International Conference Centre in Kampala.
The book "May The State Kill?" written by Fr. Tarcisio Agostoni, a missionary priest in Uganda, calls for a free debate against the death sentence. Agostoni, 82, an Italian, holds a master's degree in philosophy and theology.
Speaking at the launch of the book, ULS president John Matovu in most cases accused persons are the poor who cannot afford to pay for legal representation. The death penalty is used as a deterrent sentence on conviction of offences of murder, treason, rape, defilement, aggravated robbery and the Army Field Court Martial. But Matovu said some people are convicted mistakenly, on concocted police evidence and lack of proper legal representation.
"This is bad product of class contradictions. It's aimed at preventing crime, but according to newspaper reports, crime is just on the increase. We now say 'No' to the death sentence because we think it is a way of revenge," he said.
Agostoni, who has lived in Uganda since 1951, retired from the Catholic Secretariat in 1990 to do pastoral work. He has been assisting condemned prisoners.