” “According to René Van der Linden, the decrease in the number of executions in 2005 and 2006 (-25% worldwide) "might sound like a raised awareness" of the fact electric chairs, hangings, shootings "have no dissuasive power on crime". The president of Apce praises Italy that "has always played a propelling role in the fight against death penalty" and explains that "in 1786 the Grand Duchy of Tuscany was the first abolitionist country in the world". In addition, Van der Linden states that the Parliamentary Assembly of the CoE "will keep making pressure for the total abolition of death penalty on the United States and Japan, which are observers at the Council of Europe", as well as on Belarus and Kazakhstan. "In the next session, Apce will commit itself to supporting the campaign for an international moratorium on executions, which will be submitted to the United Nations at the next General Meeting" in NY. Finally, the president states to SIR that "the CoE and the EU have joined forces" to establish a European Day against Death Penalty "to be held on October 10th every year"; this idea will be confirmed "during the conference in Lisbon on October 9th".” “
