"On the occasion of the third world congress against death penalty", taking place in Paris from today to 3rd February, "the European Union reasserts its proactive opposition to death penalty". The German chairmanship of the Council, on behalf of the 27 member states, takes position with a statement, in which it insists on the "front-line pro-abolition campaign conducted all over the world", "in all cases and in all circumstances, because it is a cruel, inhuman penalty". The EU chairmanship insists that it has "no deterrent power", "while abolishing it would help strengthen human dignity and the progressive development of human rights". Therefore any countries that have not abolished it yet are invited to immediately do it. In the morning, the 27-member Parliament too had taken position on the subject, by approving with a very vast majority a report, which urges "a UN resolution for an immediate, unconditional universal moratorium on death penalty", to the effect of eventually abolishing it all over the world. The report asks the member states and the EU bodies "to do all they can to champion the proposal with the UN General Assembly". Finally, the EU Parliament condemns the execution of Saddam Hussein, as the other institutions of Brussels had already done.” ” ” “
