* Januaty 16 1990 *

SIXTH DAY OF HUNGER STRIKE FOR JOHN BOK, WHO IS ASKING FOR ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA. THE ENTIRE RADICAL PARTY INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN FOR CIVILIZATION, STARTING IN PRAGUE.

John Bok, Czechoslovak spokesman for the Radical Party, started a hunger strike in Prague on Thursday, 11 January, to ask that the abolition of the death penalty from the Czechoslovak legal code be put immediately on the agenda of the Federal Parliament. Bok - who, as you will remember, was in charge of the Czechoslovak delegation at the recent Federal Council of the Radical Party - had a letter delivered last Sunday to Vaclav Havel, President of the Republic and to Alexander Dubcek, President of the Federal Parliament. It expressed the request from a group of Czechoslovak Radicals for the instant implementation of the necessary legislative processes for the complete abrogation of the death penalty. The date of a demonstration organized by Radicals to take place in front of the Czechoslovak Parliament has already been fixed in Prague to start at 3.00 p.m. on Thursday, January 18.

The Radical Party - the federalist, nonviolent international association which the Radical Party has become, has arranged for a series of simultaneous demonstrations to take place on Tuesday January 16, outside Czechoslovak embassies all over Europe (Moscow, Bucarest, Belgrade, Madrid, Lisbon, Budapest, Paris, Brussels, Athens, and Rome) to support the nonviolent initiative undertaken by John Bok, as well as the Czechoslovak institutions, so that they may be able to give Europe and the world a new sign of civilization and confirmation of the credibility of their return to democracy.

As from midnight on January 16, hundreds of Radicals will therefore join John Bok's hunger strike, while waiting for the day of Prague demonstrations to bring important new results. The Czechoslovak penal code provides that capital punishment by hanging can be the sentence for certain offences such as man slaughter, crimes against the State, those against the socialist alied states, high-jacking, and genocide. From 1985 to 1988 Amnesty International received news of five executions, but it maintains that the actual number was far greater. Today Stanzani, Secretary of the Radical Party and Bonino, its President will head a delegation to the embassies in Rome of Belgium, Brazil, Burkino Faso, Ivory Coast, Israel, Nigeria, Poland, the United States, Hungary, the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia (countries where the death penalty still exists, and where the Radical Party is actively represented): They will present these embassies with the document which was unanimously approved by the recent Federal Council of the Ra

dical Party and which specifies the following:

"The transnational Radical Party asks for immediate implementation of the necessary legislative procedures to abolish the death penalty from your country's legal code, in the name of the sacred nature of human life, in the name of Non Uccidere's absolute imperative, adopted by the Radical Party with no exceptions, and affirms that the mere existance of the legal provision for capital punishment, even if it remains unapplied, constitutes an explicit and serious obstacle to the full development of civilized society".

* January 17, 1990 *

DEATH PENALTY-CZECHOSLOVAKIA: 300 RADICALS JOIN IN JOHN BOK'S HUNGER STRIKE OF HOPE AND FAITH. TODAY AND TOMORROW, DEMONSTRATIONS IN PRAGUE; TODAY, MEETING WITH PRESIDENT HAVEL. THE TRANSNATIONAL RADICAL PARTY'S EXTRAORDINARY MOBILIZATION; DON GREGANTI JOINS THE HUNGER STRIKE; "NON UCCIDERE'S ENTIRE SUPPORT".

From midnight, over 300 citizens all over Europe take part in the hunger strike. They have joined in the nonviolent initiative started by John Bok, Czechoslovak Radical spokesman. Bok began a hunger strike on January 11 last, to achieve the immediate implementation of the legislative procedures for the abrogation of the death penalty in Czechoslovakia. Inspired by John Bok's initiative, the Radical Party initiated an extraordinary mobilization over all Europe against capital punishment: on Monday, Radical delegations led by Sergio Stanzani and Emma Bonino reached the embassies of 13 countries where they delivered the document in which the Radical Party's recent Federal Council requested the abrogation of the death penalty; yesterday Radicals organized demonstrations of hope and faith outside the Czechoslovak embassies of Rome, Budapest, Lisbon, Madrid, Brussels and in front of the Consulate in Zagreb, and today similar demonstrations are to take place in Moscow and Athens (Ambassadors everywhere have made

themselves available to the Radicals and have given them a very cordial welcome).

Today 300 European citizens have started a hunger strike to get a response, to take up a stand: so that the dismal, tragic penalty may be definitively abolished from the Czechoslovak penal code.

Today and tomorrow, two Radical demonstrations have been planned: today at 3.30 p.m. Radicals will meet outside the Castle, the headquarters of President Vaclav Havel; tomorrow, the demonstration will take place at 3.00 p.m. in front of the Federal Parliament.

The Radical Party not only hopes, but is also quite confident that the institutions of the renewed Czechoslovak democracy, by opting for the abolition of the death penalty, will wish to give a new example of civilization and of the affirmation of justice and the right to life. Among the 300 participants of the hunger strike today, (who arrived from Portugal, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, the Soviet Union, Hungary, Poland, Spain, Italy, Greece and Yugoslavia) we must mention Don Greganti, President of "Carcere e Communità" and the "Coordinamento Non Uccidere", the great coalition of parties, trade-unions, and major lay and religious associations whose contribution helped to determine Paula Cooper's salvation. The same "Coordination" sent John Bok a message expressing its total support of the initiative which was begun by the Czechoslovak Radical spokesman.

* January 18, 1990 *

HUNGER STRIKE FOR THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY HALTED AFTER THE MEETING OF RADICAL SPOKESMAN JOHN BOK WITH THE CZECHOSLOVAK PRESIDENT VACLAV HAVEL. CZECHOSLOVAK PRESIDENT GAVE THE ASSURANCE OF HIS COMMITMENT TO ELIMINATE THIS BARBAROUS INSTIUTION FROM THE CZECHOSLOVAK LEGAL SYSTEM.

Yesterday afternoon Vaclav Havel, President of the Republic of Czechoslovakia met John Bok, Radical spokesman, who was deMonstrating against the death penalty with other Radical militants, in front of the Presidential Palace in Prague. John Bok had started a hunger strike in Prague on January 11, in order to put the abolition of the death penalty from the Czechoslovak legal system on the Federal Parliament's agenda. The meeting was automatically requested by President Havel who thus showed his great delicacy in handling problems of justice. In fact, while the Radical demonstration was going on, President Havel had John Bok summoned with the other Radical militants, for an immediate meeting:

The Czechoslovak President, remembering his own previous commitment against the death penalty, gave his assurance that he would do everything in his power to eliminate this babaric institution from the Czechoslovak system. Havel also invited John Bok to stop his hunger strike on the basis of his assurance of an immediate affirmative response.

Consequently, the other 300 European Radical militants who had joined John Bok, also halted their hunger strike.

* January 18, 1990 *

DEATH PENALTY-RUMANIA: THE RADICAL ASKS FOR REPEAL of the decision to organize a referendum on the death penalty in Rumania.

News has just arrived of the decision of the Council of the Rumanian National Salvation Front to POSTPONE the popular referendum, scheduled for January 28, on the re-establishment of the death penalty which had been abolished after Ceaucescu's execution, until May.

The Radical Party - who with the commitment of its nonviolent militants had the major option of "No to the death penalty" put on the Republic of Czechoslovakia's agenda - expresses its own satisfaction at the first step towards reasonableness and justice taken by the Rumanian authorities.

However, this is still not enough.

In the appeal which the Radical Party is launching this very moment and for which it is collecting the support of personalities from the worlds of religion, culture, politics and entertainment, the REPEAL is requested of the decision to organize a referendum on the death penalty in Rumania, so that the right to life is increasingly affirmed and never questioned.

As militants for rights, nonviolence and justice, as harmless citizens without political power other than that of our own will, we declare that we are also available to open a public debate on the reasons for the "No to the death penalty" in Rumania.

This is why we are continuing to collect the signatures of those who support the appeal "No to the referendum on the death penalty", and in the next few hours we shall be publicizing the text of the appeal and the names of the first to support it.

* January 20, 1990 *

DEATH PENALTY: RADICAL APPEAL TO RUMANIAN AUTHORITIES FOR THE REPEAL OF THE REFERENDUM ON THE DEATH PENALTY.

At the moment of the National Salvation Front's decision to organize a referendum on the death penalty in Rumania, the Radical Party assumed the promotion of an appeal-letter to the Rumanian authorities in which it requested the repeal of such a decision.

When news arrived that the provisional government in Rumania had decided to cancel the popular referendum, the Radical Party had already collected the signatures of celebrities from the worlds of religion, politics, culture, and entertaiment, and very numerous, from Rumanian citizens in exile, including King Michael of Rumania. As militants for rights, nonviolence and justice, as harmless citizens without political power other than that of our own will, we are glad that the affirmation of the basic civil option of the right to life has coincided with our commitment.

As evidence of our will, as a warning for the future, and in support of the choice for justice and for life in Rumania, we are sending the Rumanian authorities the text which we are making public, together with the reasons for the appeal and the names of those who support it which have arrived in the last few days.

APPEAL AGAINST THE REFERENDUM ON THE DEATH PENALTY IN RUMANIA

Mr. President, Gentlemen, members of the National Salvation Front, and of the provisional Government of Rumania,

All democrats were overjoyed to welcome the news of your decision to abolish the death penalty in Rumania. It was proof that Rumania too, in spite of the terrible slaughter it has had to suffer and the execution of the Ceausescu couple, now means to operate in a spirit of justice rather than revenge when dealing with those whose hands are stained with the blood of those dreadful crimes. It was the announcement that Rumania also intended to join in the great historical even of our time: the passage from totalitarianism to democracy with a deep respect for the value of human life. It was a sign of the hope and courage of a democracy which wanted to be born in the name of tolerance and the principles of the State of Rights.

Your decision to organize a referendum on the reintroduction of the death penalty saddens and worries us.

Mot even a popular majority can abolish a basic human right, the right to life.

Even more serious at a time when the people would be called to substitute the judge and pronounce the death sentence on all those who have assumed responsability for the atrocious crimes.

We know how hard it is to refrain from the temptation of revenge which seems to prevail in a country which has been massacred by years of totalitarianism, in a population which has been decimated by blind and brutal violence. But we know too that at the very moment when a State falls back on irrational urges and abandons the values of the basic principles of the State of Rights, it risks prejudicing and mortally endangering the basis for democracy.

For these reasons we are addressing you, Mr. President, the Members of the Council of the National Salvation Front, and the Members of the provisional Government of Rumania, so that the decision to organize a referendum on the reintroduction of the death penalty may be repealed.

If you consider it appropriate, Mr. President, Gentlemen, Members of the Council and the Government, we are entirely available to give our public support ,in Rumania also, to the reasons which have encouraged us to send you this letter in a spirit of fraternity and profound friendship.

SIGNATORIES OF THE APPEAL

Don LUIGI CIOTTO, President of the "Gruppo Abele"

Father EUGENIO MELANDRI, Euro-MP, DMASSIMO CACCIARI, philosopher

GIOVANNI BIANCHI, President of the ACLI

CARLO LIZZANO Film Director

GIAMPIERO RASIMELLI, President of ARCI

ARCI

don GERMANO GREGANTI, President of "Carcere Comunità"

"CARCERE COMUNITA"

"COORDINAMENTO NON UCCIDERE"

DARIO FO, Actor

FRANCA RAMA, Actress

GENO PAMPALONI, Art Critic

MARIO SPINELLA, Philosopher

SERGIO BINDI, Head of the Press Office "Internazionale DC"

ISABELLA BIAGINI, Actress

FRANCO BRUSATI, Film Director

WALTER CHIARI, Actor

MIRANDA MARTINO, Singer

FABIO MAURO, Artist

DANTE MAGGIO, actor

CHICCO TESTA, MP, Shadow Minister of the Environment for the Italian Communist Party

AUGUSTO MINZOLINI, Journalist, "La Stampa"

FRANCO PIRO, MP of the Italian Socialist Party, President of the "Commissione Finanza Camera"

DOMENICO MODUGNO, Radical MP

EMILIO VESCE, Radical MP

GIANNI TAMINO, MP Verde Arcobaleno

FELICE BORGOGLIO, MP, Italian Socialist Party

LEDA COLOMBINI, MP, Italian Communist Party

MAURO MELLINI, Radical MP

MARIA TADDEI MP, Italian Communist Party

SERGIO ANDREIS, MP, Verde

PATRIZIA ARNABOLDI, President, Proletarian Democrats

GIANNI LANZINGER, MP Verde

SILVANO VINCETI, President of teh Association "Kronos 1999"

GIANNI MATTIOLI, MP Verde

GIOVANNI RUSSO SPENA, MP Secretary Proletarian Democrats

ANNA DONATI, MP Verde

GLORIA GROSSO, MP Verde

ANNA MARIA PROCACCI, MP Verde

FRANCO BASSANINI, President, Independant Left Parliamentary Group

GABRIELLA MEO, Spokesman, National Spokesman, Verde Arcobalena

FULCO PRATESI, President WWF

CARLA ROCCHI, Coordinamento, Lista Verde

BENIAMINO BONARDI, Secretary, League for the Environment

CESARE DONNHAUSER, Secretary, League for the Environment

LAURA CIMA, President Gruppo parlamentare Verde

MASSIMO SCALIA, MP Verde

LAURA CECCHETTO, MP Verde

ATHOS DE LUCA, Councillor, Verde, Commune of Rome

RENE ANDREANI, Verde Arcobaleno

MARIA TERESA DI LASCIA, Verde Arcobaleno

MARCO TARADASH, Euro-MP, Antiprohibitionist

VIRGINIO BETTINI, Euro-MP Verde Arcobaleno

ALEXANDER LANGER, Euro-MP Verde

ENRICO FALQUI, Euro-MP Verde

PAUL LANNYE, Euro-MP, Greens, Belgium

MARIE-CHRISTINE AULAS, Euro-MP, Grens, France

GERARD MONNIER-BESOMBES, Euro-MP, Greens, France

CLAIRE JOHANNY, Euro-MP, Greens, France

BRUNO BEISSIERE, European Co-Deputy, Greens, Belgium

MARGUERITE-MARIE DINGUIRARO, European Co-Deputy, Greens, Belgium

DOMINIQUE VOGUET, Doctor, European Co-Deputy, France

SERGIO TURONE, Journalist "L'Unita"

ALSO ROSSELLI, Writer, (son of Nello)

GIULANO COMPAGNO, Assistant, Estetica Univ., Rome

CARLO BORDINI, Historian, University Assistant

GIANCARLO SALVOLDI, MP, Verde

RUMANIAN CITIZENS

MICHELE HOHENZOLLERN, King of Rumania. "I reigned in Rumania until December 30, , and in the monarchical constitution the death penalty did not exist"

GRIGORI ARBORE POPESCU, Exile, University Professor

VERONICA LAZAR, Interpreter

CECILIA ROMAN, Director, S: Giacomo Hospital

MIOARA TOENETTI, Teacher

MARILENA DUMITRESCU, Teacher

ADRIANA BUSCA, Employee

DANIELA MIHU, Dentist

Father LINO, Priest

Father GIORGIO, Priest

GEORGETTA CAPECCHI, Employee

EMILIA RATIU

DUMITRU FESTA, Electrician

SILVIA VASILESCU, Accountant

DORINA ARON, Kindergarten Teacher

SILENO CASI, Builder

IVANA UNGUREANU, Singer

SILEAN AVRAN

Father COMAN PETRE, Priest

MARIANA RADULESCU, Housewife

SORIN POP, Electrician

MIHU VULCANESCU, Artist, Sculptor

GEROGETA VORNICEANU, Housewife

VOPòETA DRAGA. Teacher

BRINDUSA IONESCU

MONICA SALUSTRI, Housewife

LIDIA TROIA

VIOLETA DIACONESCU, Employee

MARILENA RADULESCU, Committee of Rumanian Solidarity, Florence

VASILE BOURCEANU, Committee of Rumanian Solidarity, Florence

ELENA COSTANTINESCU, Teacher, Artist

HORENTINA CRETU

LILICA MARCU

NESI IONELA, Teacher

ANGELA PETRESCU, Housewife

TAIA PREDA, Teacher

COMMITTEE FOR ITALIAN-RUMANIAN SOLIDARITY

MARIA POPA, President Italian-Rumanian Committee

ARDUINO AGNELLI, Honorary President Italian-Rumanian Committee