VATICAN SPOKESMAN BACKS UN DRIVE TO END DEATH PENALTY

the Vatican's official spokesman praised a UN initiative calling for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, calling it “a step in the direction of humanity and of respect for the person.” Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, said that the Church would be happy to "see our society eliminate the death penalty." He noted that the drive for a UN resolution calling for an end to executions has the backing of many Catholic organisations.