From: Bob Witanek <bwitanek@igc.apc.org>
Posted calusca@padova.ccr.it Tue Dec 5 11:12:19 1995
Pietro Venezia, an Italian prisoner, is facing the electric chair Condamned for
murder in the USA, arrested in Italy, he should be extradate on December 24.
*****
He killed a tax officer on 24/12/93 in Miami, Florida. Then he had been
arrested in Italy on 19/4/94 and jailed in Taranto.
Pietro Venezia -- an Italian citizen -- doesn't know if his punishment will be
the death. The United States asked for the extradition, and in Florida there's
the electric chair. It's a punishment loudly claimed by a vaste number of local
people, overwhelmed with a revenge desire. The Governors of Florida in their
electoral speeches always list the crescently frequent use of the electric
chair.
In Italy, last October 12, the Corte di Cassazione (the supreme court) gave its
consent to the extradition of Pietro Venezia. The USA Embassy sent at the last
minute a hasty note assuring that the prisoner won't be executed. It's only a
note sent by fax and written by an obscure Embassy officer -- even his signature
is illegible. But that's been enough for the Cassazione. On Christmas fasting
Pietro Venezia will be extradated to Florida, precisely two years after his
crime.
In the USA the last word about an execution is given by the Governor of the
Federal State. While the extradition has been requested by the State of Florida,
the assurance to save his life has been given by the Embassy. How can it be
reliable?
In Laterza, the town where Pietro Venezia was born, the people is mobilizing to
avoid the extradition, joining in a committee ("Comitato contro la pena di
morte") and collecting thousands of signatures, with the partecipation of the
Mayor, the parish priest, the social center. They all ask the trial to take
place in Italy and the crime to be judged on the basis of the Italian laws, as
established by the international conventions.
They are very mistrustful about last minute USA assurances: "It's not the first
time that the USA violate the terms or ignore international rules, as shown by
the case of Silvia Baraldini" says a spokeman of the committee. Our only hope is
that the Ministro di Grazia e Giustizia (Minister for Justice) suspend the
extradition. December 24 is coming, but thousands of faxes, postcards and email
can suspend the extradition.
Comitato contro la pena di morte
c/o Centro Sociale Autogestito
via Porta Pia 17
74014 Laterza (TA)
Italy
fax +39 99 8296211 (Cityhall fax)
Send fax or post-cards to the government saying:
"NO ALLA PENA DI MORTE. Pietro Venezia non deve essere estradato negli USA."
(NO TO THE DEATH PENALTY. Pietro Venezia don't have to be extradated to USA)
Ministero di Grazia e Giustizia
Ufficio di gabinetto del Ministro Guardasigilli
via Arenula 70
00186 Roma
Italy
fax +39 6 68805424
to receive the complete text of the appeal, refer to the following address:
e-mail :info@peacelink.it
modem : 099/4746313
web : http://www.wolfnet.com/peacelink/index.html
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### B O Y C O T T S H E L L ###
greedy murderers and polluters
remember Ken Saro Wiwa and the slaughtered Ogoni
_________________________________________________________
http://www.cps.unizar.es/ISF/revistas/acratador/Home.html
INSUMISION+ stop political prisoners in Spain +INSUMISION+
******* a political solution to the total objection*******
+ see http://www.pangea.upc.es/org/mocbcn/recursos.htm +
LA TIERRA PARA EL QUE LA TRABAJA-
The land for the one who works it.
SALUD Y ANARQUIA-
Health and anarchy.
NO PASARAN-
They shall not pass
++++ stop the execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal ++++
++++ if you agree copy these lines to your sig ++++
++++ see http://www.xs4all.nl/~tank/spg-l/sigaction.htm ++++