Sergio D'Elia, Hands Off Cain Secretary

ITALY. SERGIO D’ELIA REPLIES TO QUESTION TIME ON SADDAM DEATH PENALTY

November 8, 2006: a question time was held at the Foreign Commission of Italy’s Chamber of Deputies regarding the death penalty handed down to Saddam Hussein.
In reply to the question deposited by Hands Off Cain Secretary and Rose in the Fist MP Sergio D’Elia, Deputy Foreign Minister Ugo Intini stated that, “A small group of European states, Italy included, has moved the Iraqi authorities… to stop any future executions and open the way for a moratorium on the death penalty.”
Responding to the statement, Sergio D’Elia said he was “absolutely unsatisfied with the government’s reply which hasn’t taken into minimum consideration the necessity of forming a strong diplomatic and political initiative, of gaining consensus from international public opinion, parliaments and government of many states for a solution to the case involving the commutation of Saddam’s death penalty into a permanent exile and handover to Sunni Arab states.”
“It is hypocritical to get worked up over the death penalty for Saddam Hussein,” D’Elia added, “after recently refusing to present a resolution for a universal moratorium on capital executions at the UN General Assembly and refusing even to comment on the offer made to the Italian government five months ago by [Hands Off Cain President] Marco Pannella who made himself available for a special appointment to save Saddam from the death penalty.” (Sources: HOC, 08/11/2006)