Debates

Wednesday, 6 October 2010 - Brussels

World day against the death penalty (debate)

  Proinsias De Rossa (S&D), in writing. – The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. Indeed, let us not forget that the death penalty affects, first and foremost, underprivileged people. I am opposed to the death penalty in all cases and under all circumstances and would like to emphasise that abolition of the death penalty contributes to the enhancement of human dignity and the progressive development of human rights. This resolution was timed to coincide with the European and World day against the death penalty, which are both on 10 October. The EU is the leading institutional actor and lead donor in the fight against the death penalty worldwide and its action in this area represent a key priority of its external human rights policy. In the United Nations, the EU has successfully sponsored from 1997 a yearly resolution at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) calling for abolition and, in the meantime, to establish a moratorium on the use of the death penalty. I urge the EU institutions to redouble efforts and use all tools of diplomacy and cooperation assistance available to them to work towards the abolition of the death penalty