To the attention of Jan Willem Bertens, MEP

Strasbourg, March 9, 1998

Dear Mijnheer Bertens, dear Jan,

in the framework of our campaign for the worldwide abolition of the death penalty, we are now preparing two initiatives that we hope will lead to the establishment of a worldwide moratorium of capital executions before the end of this year.

The first initiative concerns the UN Human Rights Commission that will start next week in Geneva. Last year thanks to the Italian Government we were able to pass a first resolution that considers "the abolition of the death penalty ... contributes to the progressive development of human rights".

This year we would like to table an even clearer resolution asking to the UN General Assembly to vote a resolution establishing a moratorium of capital executions. The Italian government agrees with sponsoring this resolution, provided that it is not the only one to do so.

We are now lobbying the government and the Foreign Affairs Minister of different countries among which Senegal, South-Africa, Ireland, Luxembourg, Finland, Belgium and Austria. Some have already given their agreement in principles.

Do you think that you could convince your friend and Foreign Affairs Minister, Hans van Mierlo, so that the Netherlands associate to this resolution in Geneva?

Please find attached two notes on the state of the campaign.

Sincerely yours,

Olivier Dupuis