During the 71st United Nations General Assemby, Foreign Minister Paolo Gentioni co-chaired with UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon the event “Moving away from the death penalty: the voices of victims”, organised by Italy in conjunction with Argentina, France and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Following the opening remarks by Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, Minister Gentiloni said that he is “convinced that the death penalty is not the right answer” and affirmed that “Italy remains staunchly committed to working with all its partners in order to consolidate the results of the past and to guarantee the broadest possible support for the new resolution for a universal moratorium on the death penalty.” Mr Gentiloni went on to say: “We will only succeed if we are capable of promoting dialogue and debate at all levels: among single individuals, within our societies and institutions and among Countries.”
In view of the submission of the new resolution to next autumn’s UN General Assemby, the Italian Foreign Minister recalled “the international campaign that Rome has been promoting for years to suspend all death sentences.”
