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Italy Calls for Global ban on Capital Punishment

The Italian government plans to lead a worldwide campaign to ban the death penalty throughout the globe, after pictures showing the execution of ex-Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, shocked the nation. Italy?s Prime Minister Romano Prodi said that his country would put pressure on the United Nations to end capital punishment on an international scale. Italy recently took up a temporary Security Council seat and is keen to exercise the influence that it now has on global matters.

The Iraqi government, in response, declared that Prodi?s criticism of the internal judicial system of their country was uncalled for and hypocritical. They reminded the Italians that Mussolini, whose methods of cruelty and dictatorship were often compared to those of Saddam, was publicly executed and that his trial only lasted a minute. Alessandra Mussolini, the leader?s granddaughter, who is also a member of the European parliament, stated that her ?blood ran cold? when she witnessed the pictures of Saddam?s execution and was reminded of her grandfather?s death.

Italy hopes to gain the backing of all 85 members of the United Nations who signed a non-binding declaration last month, calling for a global end to the death sentence. Italy?s government is traditionally divided between left and right, however there was a sweeping consensus across the board over the disgust felt towards the graphic pictures of Saddam?s execution.