18 July 2014 :

"The worldwide trend towards abolition of the death penalty in place in the world for over 15 years, was confirmed in 2013 and the first six months of 2014. In fact 161 countries, either by law or in practice, have decided to abolish, and only 37 countries still maintain the death penalty". This is what was pointed out by Elisabetta Zamparutti, treasurer of Hands Off Cain during the presentation of the Annual Report on the situation of the death penalty in the world prepared by the organization and published by "Reality Book.''
The event was attended by Sergio D'Elia, secretary of Hands Off Cain, who illustrated the next targets of the organization, which are the strengthening of the UN resolution for a moratorium, and the proposal of the creation of the figure of the 'Special Envoy' 'with the task to monitor the situation and continue to persuade those who still practice the death penalty.
The commitment and the work of these twenty years by the organization was highlighted by the Deputy Foreign Minister, Benedetto Della Vedova, "The commitment of Italy, and in particular of Hands Off Cain and the Radical Party - said Della Vedova - have been and continue to be very important in this fight.
Since 1994, the first year in which a resolution for a moratorium on the death penalty was presented to the UN General Assembly, to date, this commitment has been maintained by all governments and ministers who have succeeded.
This is a fight that can be carried through only through the work and activities of the society, of the public opinion, and of organizations and associations that focus on the subject and keep alive the dialogue and the attention".
The importance of the work of Hands Off Cain, and the determination to fight for the abolition of the death penalty has been highlighted by Emma Bonino, honorary chairman of Hands Off Cain: "That of Hands Off Cain is a stubborn and difficult job, that lasts 365 days a year, it almost never stops.
Its culminating point is the presentation of this yearbook containing all the data, and the conferral of the ''abolitionist of the Year'' award, which this year goes to the President of Benin, Boni Yayi, for its strong commitment to abolition.
“The award - said Bonino - is a work in bronze, designed by Massimo Liberti, which represents the earth in the form of a balloon, on which sat children to fly higher and look away”. "Bonino has held remember how the establishment of the International Criminal Court and the ad hoc Tribunal for crimes in the former Yugoslavia ruled out the practice of the death penalty. Bonino recalled as the establishment of the International Criminal Court and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia ruled out the practice of the death penalty.
And yet Bonino was keen to stress the importance, in this fight, of dialogue and reflection: "The contamination of reflection, the slow but progressive dialogue and discussion with the maintaining countries, the different activities such as travel and conferences have certainly led to positive results.
To maintain the dialogue with the hardest countries, such as Iran and Iraq, is important. You have to know how to play a strong mediation work still keeping the ultimate goal: the total abolition of capital punishment. "
The presentation of the report was followed by a video intervention of the President of Benin, who was unable to attend the award ceremony, which said he was "proud and again proud to have received this award, and I am convinced that no reason for a government can kill the name of justice, it is against humanity.''
"To punish with death the perpetrator of a crime does not make the crime disappear, and is not a lesson. And above all, the life of each person is sacred". The Foreign Minister of Benin, Nassirou Bako Arifari attended the presentation representing President Yayi and, as he said, “the entire people of Benin”.