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LOMBARDY. REGIONAL COUNCIL SUPPORTS MORATORIUM ON THE DEATH PENALTY, EVEN FOR TAREK AZIZ
September 23, 2008: the Lombardy Regional Council unanimously approved, with one abstention, a motion presented at the end of July, which supported the international "Universal Moratorium on the Death Penalty, Even for Tarek Aziz" appeal promoted by Hands Off Cain and the Trans-National and Trans-Party Non Violent Radical Party.
With the adoption of the appeal, the council asked that the defence rights of the accused are respected, that Iraq reinstates the moratorium on the death penalty, and regardless that the norms of international tribunals are applied to Tarek Aziz, thereby excluding the option of the death penalty. The appeal also recommended the creation of a Commission for Truth in Iraq to ascertain responsibility for crimes committed, and to work towards reconciliation.
Furthermore, the council emphasised the importance of guaranteeing protection to key witnesses for helping in the reconstruction of the truth regarding events that preceded the beginning of the Iraq war.
This motion urges the Italian Government to actively participate in the truth objective, launched by Marco Pannella. It would shed light on the motives for not adopting the "exile of Saddam and a democratic transitional government under UN control" option, that we now know was considered as an alternative to war. The Lombardy Regional Council affirmed that having supported they "exile" option at the beginning of 2003 with three consecutive motions, they now have every right to demand full disclosure on the motives for the war, out of responsibility to the victims and to avoid future wars. Finally, the motion asks the Government to urge Iraq and the USA to support the Treaty of Rome which instituted the International Criminal Court, and for the Parliament to amend Italian legislation to comply with the Treaty of Rome, without which Italy is unable to arrest criminals wanted by the International Court of Justice. (Sources: Hands Off Cain, 23/09/2008)
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