10 October: World Day against the Death Penalty - EU reaffirms its position against the death penalty
On the occasion of the World Day against the Death Penalty, organised by the World Coalition Against the Death
Penalty, the EU reaffirms its longstanding position against the use of the death penalty in all circumstances. The
Union considers that abolishing the death penalty contributes to the enhancement of human dignity and the
progressive development of human rights.
The EU and the NGO World Coalition Against the Death Penalty(1) are working towards the abolition of the
death penalty. In addition, they seek to encourage public debate, to strengthen public opposition and to put
pressure on retentionist countries to stop executions.
The political commitment of the EU is matched by substantial financial support for concrete projects under the
European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR). The European Commission Communication on
the European Union's Role in Promoting Human Rights and Democratisation of 8 May 2001 identified the
abolition of the death penalty as one of the thematic priorities for assistance under the EIDHR. In 2002,
approximately 4.9 million were allocated to projects aiming at raising public awareness in retentionist countries
through public education, outreach to influence public opinion, studies on how states' death penalty systems
comply with minimum standards, informing and supporting strategies for replacing the death penalty and efforts
for securing the access of death row inmates to appropriate levels of legal support and training for lawyers.
Information on the European Commission activities against death penalty can be found at
http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/human_rights/adp/index.htm
Information on the EIDHR projects can be found at
http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/projects/eidhr/pdf/presentation_death-penalty_fr.pdf
The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty encourages abolitionists world-wide (NGOs, lawyers,
parliamentarians, families of victims, media and citizens) to co-ordinate their efforts to raise awareness globally.
Since the battle against the death penalty is an international concern, activists have decided to contribute to this
struggle by establishing a World Day for the universal abolition of capital punishment.
The World Coalition will, on the occasion of the World Day Against the Death Penalty, be organising a number of
events world-wide on 10 October, notably in Africa, Asia, Europe and the U.S.A., including a web petition on the
web site of the Coalition,
http://www.worldcoalition.org/
(1)Monitoring committee: Amnesty International, Barreau de Paris, Comunita di Sant'Egidio, Conseil Général de
l'Isère & Mairie de Grenoble (France), CURE - Missouri & Journey of Hope (USA), ECPM - Ensemble contre la
peine de mort (France), FIDH - Fédération Internationale des Ligues des droits de l'homme, FSU - Fédération
Syndicale unitaire (France), Italian Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, MRAP - Mouvement contre le
Racisme et pour l'Amitié entre les Peuples (France), NCADP - National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
(USA)
Other members: Comitato 3 Luglio 1849, Comitato Paul Rougeau, FIACAT - Fédération Internationale de
l'Action des Chrétiens contre la Torture, Forum 90 Japan, Ligue des droits de l'Homme (France), Mothers
Against Death Penalty (Uzbekistan), Penal Reform International, Rd. Religion Kirche, Regione Toscana,
Restorative Justice Center, Rocco Barnabei Foundation, Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
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