Community of Sant'Egidio

FROM THE MORATORIUM 
TO THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY
APPEAL

We the undersigned, are convinced that the death penalty: 

-	Is the denial of the right to life, which is universally recognized; 
-	Is the final, cruel, inhumane and degrading punishment, no less horrible than torture; 
-	Is inadequate to stop violence, it actually legitimizes the most complete violence which cuts off human life by the state and society;
-	Dehumanizes our world by putting vengeance and reprisal first, it eliminates clemency, forgiveness and rehabilitation by the justice system;
-	Takes away what cannot be returned, life, in the event of a human mistake.

We invite all,
even those who have supported until now the use of the death penalty, 
to reflect in a serene way on the need for the suspension of executions and to start a process for the abolition of the death penalty, according to the invitation of the first Report of the UN Secretary General released on August 15, 2008.

-	Today more than half of the countries of the world do not use the death penalty; some have abolished it completely, while others do not apply it. 
-	The United Nations recognizes that there is no data that can demonstrate that its use is an effective deterrent against even the most hideous crimes.
-	In those places where the death penalty has been reintroduced, capital crimes have not been reduced.
-	There are effective alternative methods to protect society from those who commit the most horrible crimes.
-	The cruel logic of "a life for a life" is considered to be archaic and is unacceptable to many on the planet. 
-	Almost everywhere the judiciary system is trying to find ways to do away with this inhumane way of dealing with people who committed crimes, even the most horrible ones.
-	In democratic countries, the cost of the death penalty is higher than life imprisonment.

FOR THESE REASONS WE BESEECH ALL GOVERNMENTS

1.	TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THE RESOLUTION VOTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS ON DECEMBER 18, 2007, ENTITLED “MORATORIUMS ON THE USE OF THE DEATH PENALTY”
2.	TO CARRY OUT ALL THE NECESSARY STEPS TO ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY ALL OVER THE WORLD

Piazza S.Egidio 3/a  Roma - Italy- Tel. (39) 06585661 - Fax. (39) 065800197 - www.santegidio.org - m2000@santegidio.org

AN APPEAL FROM THE MORATORIUM 
TO THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY

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Fill up the form and send it to the following address:

Comunità di Sant'Egidio - Piazza S. Egidio 3/a - 00153 Roma - Italy