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Here is a template letter you may wish to use as the basis of your own letter to your MP: Dear MP, The death penalty is contrary to the most fundamental and universal human right: the right to life, as contained in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights.The death penalty is also often carried out in a manner inconsistent with the right to freedom from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Nor is the death penalty an effective vehicle for justice. The innocent can be executed for crimes they did not commit; capital punishment is not an effective deterrent of crime; and there is no clear statistical correlation between the abolishment of the death penalty and increased crime rates. For these reasons, the European Union is spearheading an initiative to secure a UN General Assembly resolution calling for a global moratorium on the death penalty. As your constituent, I would be grateful if you could provide me with some information about what the UK government is doing to support this initiative in the run-up to the 62nd session of the General Assembly this autumn, given its own strong position against the death penalty. Yours sincerely, ......................... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This petition is aimed at Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett and urges the 'UK government to give a clear and strong undertaking to support the [Italian government's] proposal and to actively promote a UN General Assembly resolution calling for a worldwide moratorium on executions, with a view to total abolition'. To sign up, click here. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join the five million others who have signed this petition calling for a moratorium on the death penalty. The Community of Sant'Egidio is a small community-based organisation in Rome focused on poverty alleviation. You can read more about the Community and sign up to its petition here. ---------------------------------------- Six hundred and thirty cities from around the world have signed up: participating cities illuminate their monuments to illustrate their alliance against the death penalty. No UK city has so far joined this initiative. Why not organise a campaign to make your city the first in the UK to join? Find out more by clicking here. -------------------------------- You could organise an event in your community to raise awareness of the death penalty and build support for a moratorium and eventual abolition. Why not a film night? There are several insightful and provocative films that deal with the death penalty, and a screening followed by a discussion could be a useful way to stimulate debate on the subject. Th You may wish to hold your event on on the World Day Against the Death Penalty (10 October). ----------------- Follow the links below to learn more about the death penalty, its application around the world and efforts to end its use. Amicus: assisting lawyers for justice on death row Amnesty International, 'The Death Penalty' Centre for Capital Punishment Studies Council of Europe, 'Death Penalty Outlawed' Death Penalty Information Center European Union, 'European Union and the Death Penalty' Foreign & Commonwealth Office, 'Death Penalty' Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 'Human Rights in the UN' Murder Victims' Families for Reconciliation National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty Permanent Mission of Italy to the UN in New York UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment |
The Community of Sant'Egidio has complemented its international petition calling for a death penalty moratorium with a campaign entitled 'Cities for Life - Cities Against the Death Penalty'. | UNA-UK >>> Justice not Vengeance |
| Click below to visit the other UNA-UK webpages on the death penalty: |
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