EU to raise awareness on death penalty

BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR

There has been a decrease in number of people that are facing executions worldwide. Where as 5,851 and 5,735 criminals were hung in 2007 and 2008, respectively, the figure reduced to 5,679 last year, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission Catherine Ashton disclosed this week.

But Ashton has expressed concern over the slow pace at which countries and states are responding to the call by EU to repeal the law on capital punishment. Between 1993 and 2009, the number of countries that abolished the death penalty by law for all crimes, grew from 55 to 97. 

“Despite a marked trend towards abolition and restriction of the use of capital punishment in most countries, numbers and manner of death penalty application worldwide remain alarming,” she said in a statement released ahead of today’s World and European Day against the Death Penalty.  

She explained that where capital punishment remains in force, there are serious problems with regard to the respect of international norms and standards. 

To this effect, the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), which is with over 30 projects, is sourcing funding for abolitionist projects worldwide including Malawi. Ashton explained that with funding from European Commission, EIDHR has planned public awareness campaigns in retentionist countries through public education, outreach to influence public opinion, studies on how states' death penalty systems comply with international 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.



Ashton: Not happy with retentionists



“During the month of October, the European Union Delegation to Malawi will show a number of short films against the death penalty for visitors in its foyer, and EU information material on the topic will be made available,” Ashton said.

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