en | fr |    Press releasesStrasbourg 25.09.2007

Death penalty: EU should push ahead on anti-death penalty day in spite of Polish protests

Following the debate in the European Parliament on the death penalty (with a resolution to be voted on Wednesday) Greens/EFA Co-President Monica Frassoni said:

"Opposition to the death penalty is a fundamental European value and 26 Member State governments are in favour of holding a European anti-death penalty day; we cannot allow one disruptive government to succeed in its attempts to rewrite fundamental EU values. There is no reason why the decision to hold a European anti-death penalty day should be based on a unanimous decision. We urge the Portuguese presidency and the other Member States to hold a vote in Council and push ahead with the proposals in spite of the Polish government's irrelevant and nonsensical protests.

"The EU must also stand firm on the proposal of a UN resolution for a death penalty moratorium. After 14 years of to-ing and fro-ing on the moratorium, any attempt to further delay the proposal (such as by presenting it at the end of the General Assembly's meeting) could be fatal. The EU must ensure that the resolution is presented to the General Assembly at the beginning of the session."