"Stop capital punishment: sign here". This is the slogan of a campaign launched on June 13 by the Rome based St. Egidio Community which aims to collect ten million signatures to present to the United Nations in view of obtaining a UN General Assembly debate on the matter in 2003. Fides Service spoke with Mario Marazziti, a leading member of the St. Egidio Community.

What is the present situation with regard to the death penalty?

In recent years at least 110 countries have abolished capital punishment, while 75 still maintain it. This means that now over half the world, the number of countries, if not half the world population, can take a stand against the death penalty.

Are there particular reasons for this progress?
The acceleration in the last two years when 8 nations abolished the death penalty (Yugoslavia, Chile, a number of the former Soviet Republics, Albania…) is certainly due to the role of the European Union, Europe is the first continent where capital punishment no longer exists, and to a growing international anti-death penalty movement. Our own campaign started three years ago for the suspension of executions all over the world offered a bridge-objective more acceptable for countries where cultural or religious reasons impede the elimination of capital punishment. The fact that in the United States, Illinois and Maryland states recently declared a suspension of executions, demonstrates that progress can be made even in difficult times like those following the September 11, terrorist attack.

What is the St. Egidio Community's next move?
With other international organisations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Federation, Ensemble contre la Pein de Mort etc we are promoting a World Coalition Against Death Penalty, constituted on June 13. The aim is to increase awareness and collect 5 million and then 10 million signatures to an appeal for an international suspension of executions. On this subject there is a convergence of all major religious and lay components on the planet and this has created a first ever united moral front, irrespective of cultural or religious differences. We intend to deliver these signatures to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan to start a process which will lead, we hope, to a General Assembly debate on this matter in 2003.

How do you aim to reach this objective?
In Italy we have launched a TV spot connected with post offices which will display anti-death penalty campaign postcards for people can sign. This means we are in direct dialogue with the people, and we hope that other countries in Europe will follow suit. One Dutch television company has already signalled its interest. Another step is what we call "City for Life" campaign to which Rome, Venice, Barcelona, Florence and the entire Tuscany region have already adhered. The idea is to organise city initiatives to publicise the anti-death penalty campaign. In Rome for example every time a step forward is made to abolish capital punishment the world famous Colosseum is lit up in a special way. Venice has put up anti-death penalty campaign posters in two languages on its Grand Canal boat-buses, a way of dialoguing with the international community…

November 30 this year will be a special day, why?
For November 30 we are planning a World Day Against Death Penalty in live link with cities which have adhered to the campaign: by that date we hope to have many more cities join us so that our campaign will be not only in Italy or Europe, but the whole world. We have chosen November 30 because on that date in 1786 the Grand Dukedom of Tuscany abolished the death penalty and this was the first such act registered in history. (Fides Service 24/7/2002)