Italy's criticism of Iranian executions sparks diplomatic row
ROME: Italian Premier Romano Prodi defended his country's opposition to the death penalty on Monday after Rome's criticism of a spate of public hangings and death sentences in Iran escalated into a diplomatic back-and-forth with Tehran.
"The recent executions have made a strong impression on our public opinion," Prodi was quoted as saying by Italian news agency ANSA. "Italy has a right to express its opposition to these facts."
Prodi's response came after Italian media carried comments by an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman calling Rome's protests an interference in Tehran's internal affairs.
The Italian Foreign Ministry, which is leading a campaign for a worldwide moratorium on capital punishment, protested to Tehran's ambassador on Thursday after Iranian authorities carried out the latest in a series of executions — the public hanging of two men convicting of killing a prominent judge.
Last month Iran hanged 12 criminals who had been convicted of various charges, including rape, kidnapping and drug trafficking.
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1) Italy's criticism of Iranian executions sparks diplomatic row
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
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