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MEXICO. PRESENTATION OF HANDS OFF CAIN’S 2005 REPORT – THE DEATH PENALTY WORLDWIDE
November 17, 2005: the presentation of the Spanish edition of Hands Off Cain’s 2005 report – The Death Penalty Worldwide took place in Mexico City.
The event, promoted and hosted by Mexico’s Foreign Ministry, saw the participation of Mexico’s Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez, Hands Off Cain Secretary Sergio d’Elia and Elizabetta Zamparutti, HOC Treasurer and Editor of the Report.
The presentation of the report was an occasion to discuss with the Mexican government a constitution for a coalition of abolitionist countries with the purpose of promoting a pro-moratorium resolution at the next United Nations General Assembly.
“We are counting on Mexico as a force that can act as a catalyst within the continent,” declared Zamparutti.
“I hope that the presentation of this report is only the first in a long series of events to ensure success in the pro moratorium initiative,” stated D’Elia.
HOC’s Secretary recalled that in 2001 the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional to extradite Mexican citizens to countries with the death penalty as well as to states that applied life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. He also highlighted parliament’s decision to eliminate capital punishment from the Mexican Constitution.
Foreign Minister Derbez said Mexico would continue to support the anti death penalty position considering that Mexico strongly felt the necessity of eliminating the death penalty as a punishment that caused more injustice than justice.
Maria del Refugio Gonzalez Dominguez, Under-Secretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights, said Mexico was putting into place diverse legal and diplomatic initiatives including a program of legal assistance at its embassies for the protection of Mexican citizens in the United States. The Program, which was put into place in September 2002, had so far saved 88 Mexican citizens from being sentenced to death. (Sources: Efe, 17/11/2005)
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