US embassy cable - 03ROME923

UNCLAS ROME 000923 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, OPRC, PGOV, IZ, IT, HUMAN RIGHTS 
SUBJECT: ITALIAN RIGHTS GROUP PUBLICIZES NEW EVIDENCE OF 
IRAQI BRUTALITY 
 
 
1. SUMMARY:  A PROMINENT ITALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION 
PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 28 A NEW REPORT ON VIOLENCE COMMITTED 
AGAINST POLITICAL OPPONENTS AND PRISONERS BY SADDAM HUSSEIN 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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AND HIS REGIME. ITALIAN MEDIA PUBLISHED EXCERPTS, PROVIDING 
ITALIANS SOME UNCOMFORTABLE (BUT TIMELY) REMINDERS OF THE 
LIKELY CONSEQUENCES OF SADDAM'S CONTINUATION IN POWER.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2. ON FEBRUARY 28, "HANDS OFF CAIN" (NESSUNO TOCCHI CAINO), 
A HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP ASSOCIATED WITH THE SMALL, INDEPENDENT 
RADICAL PARTY, PRESENTED TO THE PRESS A NEW REPORT, "THE 
DEATH PENALTY AND MORE UNDER SADDAM HUSSEIN." (FULL TEXT 
AVAILABLE AT WWW.HANDSOFFCAIN.ORG)  THE ORGANIZATION'S 
GENERAL SECRETARY, SERGIO D'ELIA, SAID THE GROUP WAS 
PUBLISHING THE REPORT IN ADVANCE OF ITS ANNUAL GLOBAL SURVEY 
OF THE DEATH PENALTY BECAUSE "AWARENESS OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS 
SITUATION - IN PARTICULAR THE WIDESPREAD USE OF THE DEATH 
PENALTY - IS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT TO CONSIDER IN THE CURRENT 
DEBATE ON THE IRAQ CRISIS." THOUGH IT FAVORS COMPLETE 
ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY, THE GROUP GENERALLY PROVIDES 
A SOPHISTICATED, NUANCED ANALYSIS OF ITS USE IN THE U.S. 
 
3. THE TEXT CONTAINS A COLLECTION OF EPISODES ALREADY 
GATHERED IN THE REPORTS ISSUED LAST YEAR BY THE BRITISH 
GOVERNMENT AND BY THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AND NEW 
CIRCUMSTANCES OF VIOLENCE INFLICTED ON IRAQIS. THE CASES 
PUBLISHED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ITALY REGARD A LONG LIST OF 
EXECUTIONS OF PRESUMPTIVE POLITICAL OPPONENTS AS WELL AS 
MORE THAN TWENTY ARMY AND AIR FORCE OFFICERS CONDEMNED FOR 
TREASON, MONITORED BY ARAB MEDIA AND BBC INTERNATIONAL. 
HANDS OFF CAIN COUNTED 214 EXECUTIONS IN 2002 THROUGH 
REPORTS BY VARIOUS IRAQI MEDIA AND OPPOSITION SOURCES. IN 
2001, THE TOTAL WAS 179. THESE TOTALS DO NOT TAKE INTO 
ACCOUNT UNCONFIRMED MASS EXECUTIONS REPORTED BY DISSIDENTS. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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4. THE REPORT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS NEW DEATH PENALTY  PROVISIONS 
ADDED IN THE MILITARY CRIMINAL CODE RELATED TO AIR DEFENSE 
FORCE AND DISCLOSED BY THE IRAQI COMMUNIST PARTY. CAPITAL 
PUNISHMENT COULD BE INFLICTED NOT ONLY FOR DAMAGING WEAPONS 
AND MILITARY EQUIPMENT BUT ALSO FOR "REVEALING SECRETS AND 
INFORMATION ON CASUALTIES TO PEOPLE OUTSIDE THEIR UNIT AND 
THE SPREADING OF RUMORS WITHIN THEIR UNIT." THE VAGUENESS OF 
THE REGULATIONS COULD LEAD TO OTHER ABUSES, HANDS OFF CAIN 
EMPHASIZED. 
 
5. AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE MFA UNDERSECRETARY MARGHERITA 
BONIVER STATED THAT THE GOI WAS WILLING TO PLAY AN ACTIVE 
ROLE IN ORDER TO STOP THE MASSACRE OF MANY INNOCENTS. 
SEVERAL NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS AND TELEVISION NEWS COVERED THE 
EVENT WITH ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS.  HAND OFF CAIN IS ONE OF 
ITALY'S MOST ACTIVE HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY GROUPS; IT HAS 
PROMOTED INITIATIVES AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY AND IN FAVOR 
OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT.  IT WAS CREATED IN 1993 
BY A GROUP OF ACTIVISTS OF THE RADICAL PARTY, A SMALL, 
INDEPENDENT, CLASSICALLY LIBERAL PARTY FOUNDED BY MARCO 
PANNELLA.  THE RADICAL PARTY IS GENERALLY OPEN AND PRO- 
AMERICAN IN ITS OUTLOOK. 
 
6.  COMMENT:  WHILE THE GROUP'S REPORT IS UNLIKELY TO CAUSE 
A SEA CHANGE IN ITALIAN PUBLIC OPINION ABOUT MILITARY 
ACTION, IT IS A TIMELY REMINDER, NONETHELESS, OF THE 
PROBLEMS INSIDE IRAQ ABOVE AND BEYOND THOSE OF WEAPONS OF 
MASS DESTRUCTION. 
 
SEMBLER 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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 2003ROME00923 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED