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: JURIST - The Paper Chase

Italy ratifies provision banning death penalty for all purposes

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

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[JURIST] Italy formally agreed to abolish the death penalty for all purposes by ratifying Protocol 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights, the Council of Europe (COE) announced Tuesday. Italy is the 41st of the COE's 47 member states to adopt the provision, following France, which adopted it in 2007. The remaining six states have instituted moratoria on executions. Italy has been a leading opponent of the death penalty, having banned capital punishment for most purposes since 1948. In September 2007, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi urged all nations to institute a moratorium on capital punishment in an address delivered to the UN General Assembly. In January 2007, Italy received the support of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon when it launched a new push against the death penalty following the execution of Saddam Hussein. In May 2007, more than 300 Italian prisoners serving life sentences sent a letter to the Italian president asking that the death penalty be reinstated.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on March 04, 2009 (boomark / email).