EU Parliament condemns death penalty

Buzek: "Death can never ever be considered an act of justice"

To mark the eighth World Day against the Death Penalty, taking place on 10th October, Members of European Parliament (MEPs) have adopted a resolution condemning capital punishment in all cases and under all circumstances. The resolution calls for an unconditional worldwide moratorium on executions. "Death can never ever be considered an act of justice", said EP president Jerzy Buzek at the opening of the plenary session on 6th October 2010.

"A universal moratorium on executions with a view to total abolition in all states which still practise the death penalty" is the key demand of Parliament's resolution, which was adopted by 574 votes to 25 with 39 abstentions.

According to the resolution, "43 countries worldwide retain the death penalty and the highest number of executions took place in 2009 in China, Iran and Iraq. China alone carried out about 5000 or 88% of the world total of executions, Iran put at least 402 people to death, Iraq at least 77 and Saudi Arabia, at least 69."

Other countries which still apply the death penalty are Egypt, Malaysia, Sudan, Thailand, North-Korea, Vietnam, Japan and the United States (35 states out of 50 still have the death penalty, although 4 of these have not held executions since 1976).

MEPs argue that the new European External Action Service (EEAS) should provide guidance for a comprehensive and effective European death penalty policy with regard to dozens of confirmed European nationals facing execution in third countries, which "shall include strong and reinforced mechanisms in terms of the identification system, the delivery of legal assistance, EU legal interventions and diplomatic representation".

Belarus remains the only European country still applying the death penalty in practice, although the EP also calls on Kazakhstan and Latvia to amend their national laws that still allow the death penalty for certain crimes under exceptional circumstances.

The EU is a leading donor to efforts by civil society organisations in the fight against the death penalty, which is one of the thematic priorities for assistance under the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR). Since 1994 over 30 projects worldwide were funded by EIDHR, with an overall budget of over €15 million.