Debates

Wednesday, 6 October 2010 - Brussels

World day against the death penalty (debate)

  Kristiina Ojuland (ALDE), in writing. – The World day against the death penalty is an important cause that reminds us of the unfortunate fact that 43 countries worldwide still retain capital punishment. I agree wholeheartedly with President Jerzy Buzek, who stated at the opening of the plenary session that death can never ever be considered an act of justice. I welcome the European Parliament resolution reiterating the commitment of the European Union to the abolition of the death penalty everywhere and calling upon the countries applying the death penalty to declare an immediate moratorium on executions. However, I would like to see the wordy commitment reflected more concretely in the actual policies of the European Union and its Member States towards third countries. Highlighting the importance of the matter on 10 October every year is worthwhile, but we must go further than this in order to see some real progress. The European Union must act in a coherent manner and have the abolition of the death penalty on the agenda as an actual priority item in order to live up to its image as a torchbearer of human rights and human dignity.