Italian minister says Italy will work for end of death penalty worldwide

December 31, 2006

Italian minister says Italy will work for end of death penalty worldwide

The Associated Press

ROME - Italy will work for the end of the death penalty worldwide following
the denunciations across Europe of Saddam Hussein's execution, the Italian
foreign minister was quoted as saying Sunday in Brazil.

Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema spoke about Italy's commitment to
eliminating capital punishment during an appearance in Brasilia, where he
was to attend the Brazilian president's inauguration ceremony.

D'Alema noted that Italy so far has lobbied unsuccessfully for United
Nations' action against the death penalty, including a call for a
moratorium.

"But I believe that this must constitute one of the top commitments of our
international efforts because it is urgent to have an initiative to put an
end to the barbarianism of the death penalty," the Italian news agency ANSA
quoted D'Alema as saying.

Saddam's execution by hanging on Saturday was denounced virtually across the
usually fractious political spectrum in Italy, with former premier and
conservative opposition leader Silvio Berlusconi calling the killing a
political error and center-left Premier Romano Prodi expressing worry that
the execution will fuel more violence in Iraq.

Saddam's execution "can refocus hatreds and rancor that can render even more
difficult the pacification of that country," D'Alema was quoted as saying.

"This event has also reopened a legitimate debate on the death penalty," he
said, according to ANSA.

Italy and all other European Union countries do not allow capital
punishment.