OBLIGATION OF INTERFERENCE
ABSTRACT: An extract from the European Extradition Agreement, Art. 11: "Extradition can be refused if the crime for which it has been requested is punishable by death in the country requesting extradition, and if the crime in question is not punishable by death or the death sentence is not normally applied in the country to which the request has been made". (The Party New, n.3, August 1991)
In 1990, 2,005 death sentences were passed in 54 countries; 2,029 executions were carried out in 26 countries; torture was inflicted in 103 countries and territories. These are the crimes that have been denounced by Amnesty International, but the actual figures are certainly higher. Many countries will not allow people to be extradited to countries where they might be sentenced to death or executed, and others will only permit extradition after receiving the assurance that the death penalty will be neither inflicted nor carried out. In Austria, Denmark, Holland, Switzerland and the UK, these conditions have been made law. Other nations have signed bilateral agreements regarding extradition stipulating that it can only be granted against the assurance that the death penalty will not be carried out. Agreements such as these exist between Italy and the US, and between the UK and the US. All this is not enough. It does not guarantee that human life will be saved. The only way of ensuring this is to create bindin
g laws that prohibit the death penalty and torture in the countries where they are practised, and simply ban extradition from countries where they have already been abolished. Laws such as these should be incorporated into the Constitutions and laws of every country. In order to avoid the reversal of judgements for political reasons, it is also necessary to draw up, ratify and execute international protocols against the death penalty, torture and extradition. Meanwhile, there is the immediate possibility for countries against the death penalty, torture and extradition, to carry out their duty and exercise their political and moral right to intervene in the internal affairs of those countries that kill and torture their people. The principle that must be upheld in the name of human rights, and incorporated into the laws of each country is: "No extradition from countries that have abolished the death penalty!" Joining the Radical Party means being aware of the urgent need to organize and achieve an agreement b
etween the parliamentary representatives in the various countries in which they undertake to work towards abolishing the death penalty in other countries as well as their own. It is not necessary to repeat the social, civil, political, humanitarian, cultural, scientific reasons for abolishing the death penalty, or the arguments as to its effectiveness and good sense. We are not trying to convince the "maybes". We are talking to those people who are already with us and, above all, parliamentary representatives, to convince you of the urgent need to abolish the death penalty. We are asking you to act in truth, to be prepared to organize yourselves, and work together to make the abolition of the death penalty, torture and all the horrific crimes denounced in the Amnesty International annual reports, not only the people's right, but also a right that will be upheld in binding laws. It is necessary to react - and act! Each one of us - and each one of you - is called upon to take a stand, to take strong, effective
action immediately. We must organize the political force that will give a voice and strength to the rights and hopes of those who have been tortured and condemned to death, and make these rights legal! If one hundred of you elected representatives of the legislative assemblies were to join us now, and communicate in writing to the Radical Party that you are prepared to fight this battle with us, it would be possible to form a "Radical Association of Parliamentary Representatives" - which parliamentary representatives from various countries could join or support - to abolish the death penalty and torture, and to ban extradition from those countries which still practise this savagery.
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THE CRIME MAP
ABSTRACT: These are the names of the 92 countries and territories where, up until 30 January 1990, common crimes were still punishable by death. The number of executions known to have been carried out between 1985 and July 1988 has been included where possible. It is an absolute disgrace! (The Party New, n.3, August 1991)
Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria, 12 executions; Angola, 15; Antigua and Barbuda, 1; Saudi Arabia, 140; Bahamas; Bangladesh, 36; Belize, 1; Benin, 8; Burma; Botswana; Bulgaria, 32; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cameroon, 2; Chad; Chile, 2; China, 500; Congo; Republic of Korea, 23; Korean People's Democratic Republic (North Korea); Cuba, 4; Dominica, 1; Egypt, 12; United Arab Emirates, 7; Ethiopia; Gabon, 1; Gambia; Ghana, 37; Jamaica,30; Japan, 9; Jordan, 14; Grenada; Guatemala; Guinea; Guinea Bissau, 7; Equatorial Guinea, 2; Guyana, 9; India; Indonesia, 19; Iran, 743; Iraq, hundreds each year; Yugoslavia, 4; Kenya, 32; Kuwait, 6; Laos; Lesotho; Lebanon; Liberia, 1; Libya, 9; Malaysia, 52; Malawi; Mali; Morocco and West Sahara; Mauritania, 3; Mauritius, l; Mongolia; Nigeria, 439; Oman; Pakistan, 115; Poland, 11; Qatar; Central African Republic; Ruanda; Saint Christopher and Nevis, 1; Staint Vincent and Grenadine, 2; Santa Lucia, 1; Sierra Leone; Singapore, 2; Syria, 31; Somalia, 150; United States of America, 66; Sout
h Africa, 537; Sudan, 9; Suriname; Swaziland; Taiwan, 17; Tanzania; Thailand, 34; Tonga; Trinidad and Tobago; Tunisia, 30; Turkey; Uganda, 11; U.S.S.R, 63; Vietnam, 3; Yemen Arab Republic, 34; People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, 5; Zaire, 4; Zambia, 11; Zimbabwe, 24.
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HERE ARE THE NAMES OF THE WORLD'S TORTURERS:
ABSTRACT: Several thousands of people were imprisoned, tortured or savagely put to death in this world last year. They were the victims of repressive measures taken by the various governments in their attempt to eliminate, or at least control, the countless manifestations of ethnic, religious, economic and nationalistic tension in their countries. In many cases, prisoners are often held or tortured for months before any formal charge is made or a proper trial is held. Too many governments adopt these repressive policies which result in extra judicial executions, "security operations" being carried out, and people suddenly "disappearing". It is the moral and political duty of every parliamentary representative to oblige the government of his country to respect the rights of its people and make sure that its name does not shamefully appear in the Amnesty International annual reports. If international treaties are signed, ratified, enforced and made law, we will have taken some important steps towards abolishin
g the death penalty. (The Party New, n.3, August 1991)
According to Amnesty International's Annual Report 1990, cases of torture were verified in the following countries: Albania, Algeria, Angola, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrein, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Caneroon, Chad, Chile, China, Columbia, North Korea, South Korea, Cuba, Equador, Egypt, El Salvador, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Fiji, Philippines, France, Gabon, Germany, Jamaica, Japan, Jibuti, Jordan, Great Britain, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israele and Occupied Territories, Italy, Yugoslavia, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Morocco and Western Sahara, Mauritania, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nambibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Per ù, Poland, Portugal, Dominican Republic, Romania, Senegal, Syria, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Sudan, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, U
ganda, U.S.S.R, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Torture is practised clandestinely, and so the above list may be incomplete.
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EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AGAINST DEATH PENALTY
Before the end of this year, the European Parliament has to make a decision regarding the resolution to abolish the death penalty, presented to the Legal Committe by Adelaide Aglietta, President of the Green Party, member of the Radical Party, and former leader of the Delegation from the European Parliament to further relations with Romania and Bulgaria. Adelaide Aglietta - who, as secretary of the Radical Party, agreed to be on the jury of the first terrorism trial in the '70s, thus making that trial possible - is the leader of a group of French, Belgian, Dutch, German and Italian parliamentary representatives.
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THE PICTURE IN AFRICA
ABSTRACT: Amnesty International's 1991 report reveals that the death penalty and torture are inflicted more systematically in Africa than anywhere else, and in more widespread areas. In spite of the fact that certain moves were made to abolish this savageru in 1990, Africa is still the country where human rights and, indeed, human life is most abused. (The Party New, n.3, August 1991)
There are still many African Governments who use the death penalty to either intimidate, or eliminate, political adversaries, after staging a mock trial. Captain Compaorè, President of Burkina Faso, is an exception, in that he has not authorized a single execution in the last few years and, thanks to the intervention of Marco Pannella and the Radical Party, has freed a large number of political prisoners; however, he did not take the opportunity of formally ratifying the abolition of the death penalty when the new Constitution was drawn up. Nambibia, on the other hand, declared in its Constitution of 21 March 1990: "No law can provide for the application of the death penalty. No court of law shall have the power to sentence anyone to death. No executions must ever take place in Nambibia". The laws of each country, and the Constitutions of each African republic, must provide for the abolition of the death penalty: this is the all-important step that has to be taken. For this reason, we must create a political
force composed, above all, of parliamentary representatives who would put the ratification of the Second Optional Protocol of the International Civil and Political Rights Agreement to Abolish the Death Penalty on their agendas; and, even more important, would present principles that would unite individual countries in abolishing the death penalty and torture, for discussion in parliament and at the OAU.
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EXECUTIONS AND TORTURE IN AFRICA
Algeria: 1990, 3 people sentenced to death in their absence. Burkina Faso: 1989, 4 people executed. Cameroon: 1990, 3 prisoners believed to have been tortured. Many political adversaries died in mysterious circumstances. 8 death semtences passed.
Egypt: 1990, at least 38 death sentences passed, 5 executions. Ethiopia: December 1990, 60 people sentenced to death for common crimes. Number of executions not known. Ghana: 1990, 20 people condemned to death, 9 of whom were executed. Guinea: 1990, one political prisoner died under torture. Equatorial Guinea: 1990, 10 people died as a result of tortue. Kenya: the Government will not reveal the number of death sentences passed, but it is estimated at 200. Lesotho: 1990, cases of torture and one prisoner executed. Liberia: 1990, thousands of prisoners executed after mock trials - or no trial at all. Mali: 1990, extrajudicial executions effected on the Tuaregs, a minority race. Two prisoners died under torture. 4 people sentenced to death in their absence. Mauritania: 1989, numerous extrajudicial exections of people belonging to a particular ethnic group. 1990, 15 people died under torture. Dozens of desperados. Niger: 1990, hundreds of arrests, cases of torture and extrajudicial executions of the Tuaregs. Nig
eria: 1990, at least 106 people condemned to death. More than 120 prisoners executed. 72 soldiers executed after a failed coup. Rwanda: 1990, 5 deaths due to appalling prison conditions. Head of State commuted 480 death sentences. Sierra Leone: 1990, 14 death sentences. Sudan: 24 April 1990, 28 army officers were accused of planning a coup, and executed after a mock trial. Government troops carried out dozens of extrajudicial executions. Swaziland: 1990, 3 people condemned to death. Tanzania: 1985-1990, 188 people sentenced to death, 25 of whom were executed. Tunisia: 17 November 1990, the first execution after Ben Ali became President. Uganda: 1990, at least 6 soldiers executed. Zaire: October 1989, 8 prisoners executed.
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IN SPITE OF THE AGREEMENTS...
ABSTRACT: An organization of American States has produced a preliminary draft of an additional protocol to the American Human Rights Agreement, which constitutes an agreement between the States in question to abolish the death penalty in their territory, in peacetime and in war. In Europe, we have the Sixth Protocol of the European Human Rights Agreement. (The Party New, n.3, August 1991)
Art. 1 of the Sixth Protocol of the European Human Rights Agreement states: "The death penalty must be abolished. No one must be condemned to death or executed". By 31 December 1990, 16 of the 24 countries belonging to the Council of Europe had ratified said Protocol, Belgium, Greece and Hungary had signed it, and Cyprus, Ireland, Malta, Great Britain and Turkey had not. Art. 4 of the American Human Rights Agreement of 1969 states: 1. Each individual has the right to have his life respected. This right must be guaranteed by law (...) No one can be deprived of their life arbitrarily. 2. In those States where the death penalty is still in force, it can only be applied in the case of the most serious crimes, in conformity with an official sentence passed by the competent law courts. 3. The death penalty cannot be reintroduced in States where it has already been abolished. 4. In no event can the death penalty be applied to political crimes, or common crimes connected to these. 5. The death penalty cannot be infl
icted on people who were either under 18 or over 70 when the crime was committed, nor applied to pregnant women. By 31 December 1990, said Agreement had been ratified by Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Equador, El Salvador, Jamaica, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Dominican Republic, Per ù, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela. Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Dominica, St. Christopher and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, neither signed nor ratified it. The Agreement was signed by the United States alone.
