ABSTRACT: The text of the parliamentary motion on the referendum called in the American District of Columbia to reintroduce the death penalty, signed by parliamentarians from the different political groups.

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The Chamber,

- having learned that the Congress of the United States has ruled that a referendum be held on 3 November in the District of Columbia (one of the 15 courts which have still not reintroduced capital punishment after its suspension in 1972) on the reintroduction of the death penalty on that territory, to coincide with the presidential elections;

REFERRING TO

- Articles 3 and 4 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

- the European Convention of human rights, and art. 1 of the Sixth Additional Protocol of this Convention, in effect as of 1985;

- art. 6 of the International Agreement on civil and political rights and the Second Additional Protocol adopted in 1989 by the UN General Assembly;

- art. 4 of the U.S. Convention on human rights;

- European Parliament Resolution A3-0062/92 on the death penalty, passed on 12/3/92;

BELIEVING

in agreement with European Parliament Resolution of 12/3/92,

1. that no State, and especially no democratic State, can decide on the life of its citizens or of other persons living on its territory, providing for the death penalty in its legal system as a consequence of crimes, even if very serious one;

2. that the reintroduction, as proposed in the District of Columbia, which has raised to 14 the aggravating circumstances which imply the death penalty for murder, is in patent conflict with the U.S. Convention on human rights, which decides not to extend capital punishment to crimes for which it was not applied until that moment;

3. that the commitment to operate for the abolition of the death penalty, wherever it is provided for and applied, may be considered a legitimate duty;

4. that in a democratic State, the decision on the reintroduction of the death penalty should never and in no circumstance be the subject of a referendum;

5. that the referendum to be held in parallel with the presidential elections affords them a lugubrious and ferocious instrument of demagogy.

BINDS THE GOVERNMENT

- To forward to the Government and the Congress of the United States the Italian Parliament's position regarding the decision to make the individual's fundamental right not to be killed the subject of a referendum.

- To make the position of the Italian parliament on this important occasion known through the media.

- To forward this Motion to the Commission, the Council, European political Cooperation, the governments and the parliaments of the Member States of the Community, the Council of Europe, the CSCE, the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Emma BONINO

Massimo SALVADORI

Vincenzo SCOTTI

Alfredo BIONDI

Antonino BUTTITTA

Enrico MODIGLIANI

Paolo DE PAOLI

Lino DE BENETTI

Severino GALANTE

Diego NOVELLI

Alberto ALESSI

Vincenzo CIABARRI

Andrea BUFFONI

Willer BORDON

Francesco D'ONOFRIO

Giovanni CORRENTI

Vito LATTANZIO

Mauro PAISSAN

Rino PISCITELLO

Vincenzo BINETTI

Gianfranco BETTIN

Giovanni Claudio FAVA

Fulco PRATESI

Gaspare NUCCIO

Roberto CICCIOMESSERE

Marco PANNELLA