|
|
|
 |
|
||
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
EU
Home | Policies &
Legislation | Death
Penalty
EU POLICY ON THE DEATH PENALTY EUROPEAN
UNION
Brussels, June 3, 1998 Guidelines to EU Policy Towards Third Countries on the Death PenaltyI. INTRODUCTION (i) The United Nations, inter alia in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
(ICCPR), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
and in the ECOSOC Safeguards Guaranteeing Protection
of the Rights of Those Facing the Death Penalty, has established
strict conditions only under which the death penalty may be used. The
Second Optional Protocol
to the ICCPR provides for states to commit themselves to permanent abolition
of the death penalty. The European Union has now moved beyond this and
now espouses abolition for itself and others. (ii) At its 53rd session, and at its 54th session in a
resolution sponsored by all EU countries, the UN Commission on Human Rights
called on countries which maintained the death penalty:
(iii) At the October 1997 Council of Europe Summit, Heads of Government,
including all EU member states, called for universal abolition of the
death penalty. Moreover, new member states of the Council of Europe have
committed themselves to moratoria and to ratify the 6th Protocol of the European Convention on Human Rights
(ECHR) committing them to permanent abolition. (iv) The 1997 Amsterdam Treaty of the European Union noted
that since the signature of the 6th Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights,
the death penalty had been abolished in a majority of EU member states,
and had not been used in any of them. (v) In the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), participating States are
committed under the Copenhagen document
to exchange information on the abolition of the death penalty and to make
this available to the public. The EU fulfils this by regular statements
within the OSCE's Human Dimension framework. (vi) The statutes of the International Tribunal for the
Former Yugoslavia and the International Tribunal for Rwanda, both of which
the EU supported, contain no provision for the death penalty, notwithstanding
the fact that they were set up to deal with mass violations of humanitarian
law including genocide. II. OPERATIONAL PAPER The EU considers that abolition of the death penalty contributes
to the enhancement of human dignity and the progressive development of
human rights. The objectives of the European Union are:
The EU will make these objectives known as an integral
part of its human rights policy. The European Union will intensify its initiatives, including
declarations or demarches on the death penalty, in international fora
and towards other countries, in the light of the attached Minimum Standards
Paper. The European Union will consider, case by case, and on
the basis of the criteria, whether to make demarches to other countries
over the use of the death penalty. The main elements of the EU approach will be as follows: GENERAL DEMARCHES Where relevant, the European Union will raise the issue
of the death penalty in its dialogue with third countries. Elements in
these contacts will include:
The precise nature of such approaches will take into consideration,
inter alia:
Particular consideration will be given to making EU demarches
on the use of the death penalty at times at which a country's policy on
the death penalty is in flux, e.g., where an official or de facto moratorium
on the death penalty is to be ended, or where the death penalty is to
be reintroduced through legislation. Particular consideration will
be given to reports and findings by relevant international human rights
mechanisms. A demarche or public statement may be made where countries
take steps towards abolition of the death penalty. INDIVIDUAL CASES In addition, where the European Union becomes aware of
individual death penalty cases which violate minimum standards, the EU
will consider making specific demarches. Speed will often be essential in these cases. Member states
proposing such demarches should therefore provide as much background as
possible drawing on all available sources. This should include brief details
of the alleged crime, criminal proceedings, the precise nature of the
violation of the minimum standards, the status of any appeal and, if known,
the expected date of execution. Where there is sufficient time consideration should be
given to seeking, from Heads of Mission, detailed information and advice
on the case prior to demarches being made. HUMAN RIGHTS REPORTING EU Heads of Mission should, as a matter of course, include
an analysis of the use of the death penalty in their human rights reports
as well as including periodic evaluation of the effect and impact of EU
approaches. POSSIBLE RESULTS OF EU INTERVENTIONS: OTHER INITIATIVES The EU's objective, where possible, is
to persuade third countries to abolish the death penalty. To this end,
the EU will encourage countries to consider acceding to the Second Optional
Protocol to the ICCPR and comparable regional instruments. Additionally,
where this is not possible, the EU will nevertheless maintain abolition
as an objective, and will:
III MINIMUM STANDARDS PAPER Where states insist on maintaining the death penalty, the
EU considers it important that the following minimum standards should
be met: (i) Capital punishment may be imposed only for the most
serious crimes, it being understood that their scope should not go beyond
intentional crimes with lethal or other extremely grave consequences.
The death penalty should not be imposed for non-violent financial crimes
or for non-violent religious practice or expression of conscience. (ii) Capital punishment may be imposed only for a crime
for which the death penalty was prescribed at the time of its commission,
it being understood that if, subsequent to the commission of the crime,
provision is made by law for the imposition of a lighter penalty, the
offender shall benefit thereby. (iii) Capital punishment may not be imposed on:
(iv) Capital punishment may be imposed only when the guilt
of the person charged is based upon clear and convincing evidence leaving
no room for alternative explanation of the facts. (v) Capital punishment must only be carried out pursuant
to a final judgement rendered by a competent court after legal process
which gives all possible safeguards to ensure a fair trial, at least equal
to those contained in Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights, including the right of anyone suspected of or charged
with, a crime for which capital punishment may be imposed to adequate
legal assistance at all stages of the proceedings, and where appropriate,
the right to contact a consular representative. (vi) Anyone sentenced to death shall have an effective
right to appeal to a court of higher jurisdiction, and steps should be
taken to ensure that such appeals become mandatory. (vii) Where applicable, anyone sentenced to death shall
have the right to submit an Individual complaint under International procedures;
the death sentence will not be carried out while the complaint remains
under consideration under those procedures. (viii) Anyone sentenced to death shall have the right to
seek pardon or commutation of the sentence. Amnesty, pardon or commutation
of the sentence of death may be granted in all cases of capital punishment. (ix) Capital punishment may not be carried out in contravention
of a state's international commitments. (x) The length of time spent after having been sentenced
to death may also be a factor. (xi) Where capital punishment occurs, it shall be carried
out so as to inflict the minimum possible suffering. It may not be carried
out in public or in any other degrading manner. (xii) The death penalty should not be imposed as an act of political revenge in contravention of the minimum standards, e.g., against coup plotters. |
|
|
Home
| What's New on this Site | A
to Z Index of EU Websites | EU Basics
| EU Hot Items | EU
Law and Policy Overviews | EU Member
Countries | EU Offices and Services
in the US | EU Research Tools |
EU-US Partnership | EU
for Young People | Help/Queries/Comments
| Publications | Sitemap
| Search | Europe
Magazine
|
|
