"Today, we recall that the defence of human rights, the necessity of legal systems founded on respect of such rights, and the dignity of the human being are an essential part of our value heritage". Hans-Gert Poettering, president of the European parliament, intervenes in the special day devoted to opposing death penalty in Europe and all over the world. "Death penalty contradicts" the principles upheld by the Assembly and the whole European Union. "Therefore, just the countries which abolished it may be part of it". On the occasion, the European Union and the Council of Europe set up a round table and a photographic exhibition in Strasbourg. Senator Robert Badinter, former French minister of justice and "pioneer in the struggle against death penalty", Bianca Jagger, activist on international level, Terry Davis, general secretary of the Council of Europe and Jan Nordlander, Swedish ambassador for human rights, take part in the meeting. At the Palace of Europe, they said that "there would be several demonstrations during the Day Against Death Penalty, set up by the representatives of the civil society all over Europe, from Armenia to Ukraine".
