Enhancing EU action on the death penalty in Asia

This paper has three objectives. First, it provides an analysis of the state-of-play regarding the death penalty in Asia, covering 24 countries of which 5 have abolished the death penalty, 6 are abolitionist in practice and 13 have carried out executions within the past 10 years without declaring a moratorium. Developments and recommendations for EU action relating to eight countries are highlighted: China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. The analysis reveals the wide range of crimes still threatened by the death penalty, the death row problem in countries that are abolitionist in practice or rarely carry out executions, the continued existence of the mandatory death penalty, yet the falling rate of executions in retentionist countries. Second it reports on EU human rights dialogues; on other interventions including the protection of citizens facing the death penalty; the part played by the EU in promoting resolutions for a moratorium on executions at the UN General Assembly; and the success of projects in the Philippines and China supported by EU grants. Third, it suggests policies that might help to support initiatives in Asian countries aimed both at restraining the use of the death penalty and securing its complete abolition.