21.   Public opinion runs strongly against capital punishment in Italy, which does not execute criminals.

22.   The criminals were executed immediately following the sentencing rally.

23.   The country is known to periodically execute convicted criminals in public as a message to potential dissidents.

24.   The facility will enable officials to execute criminals one at a time, rather than in batches, saving manpower.

25.   The Justice Ministry, extremely secretive about capital punishment, confirmed that two criminals were executed Thursday.

26.   The Justice Ministry, extremely secretive about the topic, confirmed that the three criminals were executed but refused to provide their names.

27.   The prohibition against executing underage criminals is part of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

28.   The Thai Cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to execute criminals by lethal injection rather than by machine gun.

29.   The United States ratified the covenant, but reserved the right to execute criminals as it sees fit.

30.   Twelve convicted criminals were executed in southern Guangdong province after public sentencing rallies, according to state-run media reports Tuesday.