25 July 2006 :

"If I had to choose a parameter to show man’s progress towards a more just society, it would have to be that of the death penalty,” stated President of the Senate of the Italian Republic Franco Marini, participating at the presentation of Hands Off Cain’s 2006 Report – The Death Penalty Worldwide.
“Its also a battle of civility,” continued Marini, “as formally and concretely taken up by the President of Mexico, Vicente Fox, conferred with the Abolitionist of the Year 2006 award”. After assigning the award to Maria Del Refugio Gonzales Dominguez, Vice Foreign Minister for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights of Mexico, Marini took a moment to praise Hands Off Cain’s President Marco Pannella. “I am convinced that one is not always obliged to agree with Pannella. But I want to say that in the positive history of our country, even with its many contradictions, no one can forget that he has been at the forefront in the advancement of our society and in the battle for civil rights”.
Hands Off Cain Secretary Sergio D’Elia announced that the Chamber of Deputies will discuss on July 26 a motion, “amply supported” by both government and opposition members, committing the Italian government in presenting a “resolution proposal for a universal moratorium on capital executions with view to full abolition of the death penalty” at the forthcoming United Nations General Assembly to be held in autumn. “I am certain there will be abundant convergence in Parliament and I’m sure that this time the moratorium proposal will pass at the General Assembly with 100-110 of the 192 member states voting in favour”.
Bobo Craxi, Undersecretary in the Foreign Ministry, said the Italian government will support resolution for a moratorium on the death penalty at the UN General Assembly. “Also on this theme there must be multilateralism, it cannot be an issue left to individual states".
For Marco Panenlla, “Only a serious battle will allow human kind to surpass the death penalty. The right to life is conquered if the life of rights is conquered and defended, and this is very difficult. And in all honesty, I have to say that, as an example in our country, the life of rights is defended less and less whilst finding itself increasingly under fire.”
The event also saw the presentation of an appeal for the avoidance of the death penalty for Saddam Hussein should he and his co-accused be found guilty of the serious crimes with which they are charged. The appeal is addressed to Iraqi authorities but also to the Italian government and the President of the European Commission.