EU Declaration Against The Death Penalty

Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on the occasion of the World Day against the Death Penalty

On the occasion of the fifth World Day against the Death Penalty, the European Union reiterates its longstanding position against the death penalty in all circumstances. The abolition of the death penalty contributes to enhancement of human dignity and progressive development of human rights.

All measures of abolition of the death penalty should be considered as progress in the enjoyment of the right to life. Therefore, the EU reiterates its call upon States that still maintain the death penalty to work towards abolishing the death penalty and in the meantime, to immediately establish a moratorium.

The EU wishes to recall that any miscarriage or failure of justice in the application of capital punishment represents the irreparable and irreversible loss of human life, while expressing its compassion towards individuals who have wrongly been sentenced to death and with their relatives and other indirect victims of death penalty.

EU expresses its profound concern about capital punishment cases which do not meet the highest standards of justice. The EU is deeply concerned by the fact that in a few countries minors are still being sentenced to death and executed, in clear violation of those countries’ international obligations.

The EU strongly welcomes the abolition of the death penalty in Rwanda. It sets a powerful example to other countries around the world that a country like Rwanda, with the terrible violence it has known in its recent past, has chosen to abolish the death penalty. The European Union is very pleased to note that the trend towards the worldwide abolition of the death penalty for all crimes continues.

The EU is committed to keep lobbying in various countries around the world in support of the abolition of the death penalty. The EU also continues to support initiatives of civil society organisations that deepen worldwide abolitionist movement and encourages all countries on their positive developments towards the complete abolition of the death penalty.

The EU, in the framework of a cross regional alliance, will introduce a resolution on a moratorium and the abolition of the death penalty at the 62nd United National General Assembly.

On this World Day against the Death Penalty the European Union recalls that the efforts to abolish the death penalty must continue and calls on all countries which still retain the death penalty to embrace the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances.

The Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia align themselves with this declaration.

* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

ENDS

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