Delegation of the European Union to Albania

09/25/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/25/2024 08:10

1508th Meeting of the Committee of Ministers (25 September 2024) - EU Statement on the death penalty

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1508th Meeting of the Committee of Ministers (25 September 2024) - EU Statement on the death penalty

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The European Union welcomes today's thematic discussion on the abolition of the death penalty and its focus on Belarus, the only country in Europe to still apply it.

The EU strongly opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and all cases.The death penalty is a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment, incompatible with the inalienable right to life and with human dignity

The EU reiterates the strong call on the authorities of Belarus to stop all executions pending abolition of the death penalty, and to apply the alternative punishment provided for in the Belarusian criminal legislation. The EU also calls on Belarus to accede to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, set a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, and work towards its full abolition.

Moreover, the EU deplores that Belarus has extended the number of crimes that may be punished with the death penalty and that the authorities had recourse to these added capital offences recently. This is in violation of its obligation under article 6 paragraph 2 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

This is especially concerning in a context where the rights related to due process and a fair trial are not upheld, limited amount of relevant information with regard to the use of death penalty is available and taking into account that transparency is a requirement of fair and effective criminal justice.

The EU notes with appreciation the implementation of the Council of Europe's activities on the abolition of death penalty and praises the different initiatives from the Council of Europe towards this aim.

Together with the Council of Europe, the EU reiterates its commitment to work towards global abolition of the capital punishment, notes with interest the development of the Council of Europe training course on youth advocacy whose 2nd edition took place in June 2024, as well a recent similar initiative in the framework of the North-South Centre with African participants, and encourages the implementation of the new multilateral co-operation programme "Death is not Justice: Abolition of the Death Penalty in Europe and Beyond".

The EU continues to regret that the USA and Japan, observer members of the Council of Europe, continue to apply the death penalty, deeply laments the executions in some US States since April 2024, and joins the appeal to promote an open and democratic debate with the aim of abolishing the death penalty and to remain engaged with the Council of Europe on this issue.

Finally, as the World Day Against the Death Penalty is approaching, on 10 October, the EU welcomes this year's theme dedicated to fighting the misconception that the death penalty can make societies safer. The death penalty fails to act as a deterrent to crime and capital punishment makes miscarriages of justice irreversible. We remain convinced that focus should be on crime prevention.

The following countries align with this statement: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Republic of Moldova, Monaco,Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, San Marino, Serbia, Ukraine.