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Worldwide protest against death penalty


Monuments in more than 300 cities around the world were illuminated yesterday, in protest against the death penalty. Stefania Tallei, head of the Sant Egidio Community's Anti Death Penalty Campaign told Fides news service the project began in Rome in 2002. She said: "We lit up the Colosseum to increase awareness on the problem of the death penalty all over the world. Since then every year on November 30 monuments in many parts of the world, are illuminated to encourage as many people as possible to join our campaign. In Rome the day was marked by a meeting at the Palazzo Leopardi in Trastevere, followed by a march through the streets to the Colosseum . November 30 is the historic date on which the Grand Duchy of Tuscany abolished the death penalty in 1786. On that date ahead of his times, Grand Duke Leopoldo passed a law to abolish torture and the death penalty . Cities all over the world which took place yesterday included: Milan, Florence, Naples, Genoa, Palermo, Turin, Venice, Madrid, Barcelona, Vienna, Brussels, Geneva, Berlin, Paris, Dublin, Copenhagen and Stockholm, Tirana and Kosovo. For the first time; Mexico City and the Mexican President, Fox, Buenos Aires, San Salvador, Bogota and Medellin (Colombia); Canberra and Wellington; Atlanta, Porto Alegre (Brazil) and Montreal, Tokyo took part. Among those present at the meeting in Rome were: Lance Lindsey, from Death Penalty Focus, USA, Juan Melendez, formerly condemned to death, Porto Rico, Bud Welsh, father of a victim from Oklahoma City, USA, Vera Chirwa, Human Rights Commissioner, Malawi, Nick Yarris, 23 years on death row, Tamara Chikunova, of the Association of Mothers Against the Death Penalty and Torture, Walter Veltroni, mayor of Rome, Mario Marazziti Sant Egidio community. There were readings from Italian actor Gigi Proietti. Source: Fides

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