Amnesty International USA Urges Commutation of Angel Diaz's Death Sentence in Florida

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DECEMBER 7, 2006
12:57 PM


CONTACT: Amnesty International USA
Jason Opena Disterhoft, 202-544-0200 ext. 302

Amnesty International USA Urges Commutation of Angel Diaz's Death Sentence in Florida
Execution Scheduled for Dec. 13, Despite Key Witness Recanting His Testimony


WASHINGTON - December 7 - Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) has urged Florida Gov. Jeb Bush to halt the execution of Angel Diaz, which is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, Dec. 13. If it proceeds, the execution would be the last to take place this year and the fourth in Florida in the last two months.

Amnesty International, the world's largest grassroots human rights organization, has issued a worldwide call to action regarding Diaz's case, mobilizing the public to send appeals to Gov. Bush on Diaz's behalf. AIUSA Executive Director Larry Cox has also written Gov. Bush, urging commutation of Diaz's sentence.

"On behalf of more than 320,000 members of Amnesty International USA, I appeal to you to do everything in your power to stop the execution of Puerto Rican national Angel Nieves Diaz," Cox wrote to Bush. "As an international human rights organization, Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without reservation. While I have tremendous sympathy for the family and friends of Joseph Nagy, I believe capital punishment only perpetuates the cycle of violence."

Anibal Acevedo Vila, governor of Puerto Rico, has also taken the unusual step of writing to Gov. Bush requesting clemency for Diaz, citing Puerto Rico's longstanding opposition to the death penalty.