Reuters AlertNet Lite - Moroccan sentenced to death for killing diplomat

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Moroccan sentenced to death for killing diplomat

20 Feb 2007 17:44:03 GMT
Source: Reuters

RABAT, Feb 20 (Reuters) - A Moroccan man was sentenced to death on Tuesday for the murder of an Italian working for the European Commission in Rabat and his Belgian wife, state news agency MAP reported.

Alessandro Missir di Lusignano, an official attached to the Commission's delegation in Morocco, and his wife Arianne Lagasse de Locht were stabbed to death in their villa in a wealthy Rabat suburb last September.

Karim Zimach, 25, was arrested shortly afterwards while driving a car he stole from the couple's home, according to Moroccan officials.

"During the trial, the guilty man admitted ... having committed these murders while under the influence of drugs," MAP said.

Moroccan courts still hand out death sentences but no one has been executed in the North African kingdom since 1993.

The death penalty is banned throughout the 27-nation European Union. Earlier this month, the European Parliament voted to urge the bloc to press for an immediate United Nations moratorium on executions across the world.

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Last updated:Tue Feb 20 17:45:12 2007