ABSTRACT: Text whereby the signatories of the appeal against the death penalty are informed of the cancellation of some of the scheduled initiatives (official delivery of the appeal in Moscow; world parliamentary congress; Easter March) and of the creation, in the context of the Radical Party's congress, scheduled for early May, of a section for the discussion and the organization of a "global parliamentary campaign for the abolition of the death penalty in the world by year 2000".

Rome, 5 February '92

Dear ....,

once again we would like to inform you on the progress made by the parliamentary campaign for the abolition of the death penalty in the U.S.S.R., which you endorsed along with 620 parliamentarians and government officials, and hundreds of preeminent personalities in the field of culture, science and art.

With the previous letter and with the fourth issue of the newspaper "The New Party" we sent you, in tracing an outline of the political and organizational scenario of our campaign, we had announced the official delivery of the appeal and of the signatures to the Soviet authorities in Moscow at the end of February, the summons of the 1st worldwide parliamentary Congress for the discussion and the organization of the campaign, as well as a Popular March crossing Rome and reaching St. Peters Square in the Vatican.

The political events in the former Soviet Union, in particular the resignation of Gorbachev and the precarious birth of the Community of Independent States, have jeopardized the first of the events scheduled, and cast uncertainty over the subsequent ones, which might have been better defined after the meeting with the highest Soviet authorities.

The summons of the Radical Party's transnational Congress, scheduled for 1-3 May 1992, with the participation of citizens and parliamentarians from over 30 countries, forces us to modify the schedule of initiatives announced for Easter time, and to shift them to the period of our Congress.

Nonetheless, in the context of the congress or separately, we have planned a section for the discussion and the organization of the initiatives aimed at supporting the "worldwide parliamentary campaign for the abolition of the death penalty by year 2000", open to the parliamentarians and personalities who supported the campaign for the abolition of the death penalty, to scientists and international law experts from all over the world.

Also scheduled for the period of the Congress is a public moment of demonstration and emblematic struggle against the death penalty.

May we ask you, therefore, with regard to the period of the Congress, to plan your agenda and inform us of your intention to participate. We will let you know the exact dates and the detailed program in the coming weeks.

We remain firmly convinced of the urgency of meeting, gathering and organizing with the purpose of achieving the abolition of the death penalty from justice systems and laws at the dawn of the third millenium

It is urgent for us, for you, for the hundreds of parliamentarians, the Nobel Prize winners, the men and women of science and culture worldwide who have joined the campaign against the death penalty, to create the transnational and transparty political organization which aims at this objective: the Transnational Radical Party - an organization for democracy, legality and nonviolence, beyond national boundaries and national political membership.

As you will see in the enclosed list, to date 150 parliamentarians from over 20 different countries and 30 different national parties, have joined the Transnational Radical Party, along with Nobel Prize winners and international preeminent personalities. In our opinion, these are positive elements to believe that the creation of the transnational party is possible; however, time and financial resources are very limited.

Only with a great number of enrolments and adhesions will we perhaps be in the conditions of continuing this difficult political initiative.

To join the party, simply fill in the enclosed coupon and mail it to The Radical Party, Via di Torre Argentina 76, 00186 Rome, enclosing the minimum membership fee - look up you country in the list contained in the same page - or specifying the form of payment chosen.

Hoping to receive a sign of support and adhesion from you very soon, and to see you at the Congress,

Yours sincerely,

Sergio Stanzani Emma Bonino Paolo Vigevano

MP, First Secretary MP, President Treasurer of

of the Radical Party of the Radical Party of the Radical Party

Marco Pannella Sergio D'Elia

Member of the European Parliament, Federal Councillor of

President of the Radical Party's the Radical Party

Federal Council