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Pope Francis wants to abolish life-long incarceration and likened the sentences to a "hidden death penalty." The pontiff addressed a delegation from the International Association of Penal Law on Thursday when he railed against the world's treatment of criminals. “All Christians and men of good faith are therefore called upon today to fight, not only for the abolition of the death penalty...but also to improve the conditions of incarceration to ensure that the human dignity of those deprived of their freedom is respected. And this, for me, is linked to life sentences. For a short time now, these no longer exist in the Vatican penal code. A sentence of life (without parole) is a hidden death penalty.” Francis also made a veiled attack on U.S. rendition of terrorism suspects, facilitated by European countries.