ALDE urges Europe to become chief proponent of moratorium on death penalty

5.32.09pm GMT Wed 31st Jan 2007

The European Parliament will be voting tomorrow on a resolution to take up the Italian Government initiative calling for the urgent re-opening of a debate on the death penalty in the UN General Assembly with the aim of agreeing soon to a universal moratorium on capital punishment.

Graham Watson (UK, Lib Dem) and leader of the European Liberals and Democrats group declared:

"The death penalty casts a shadow on us as civilised Europeans. Now is the time to act to end such inhumane practices. Europe, thanks to the initiative of the Prodi Government, is waking up and assuming leadership of this campaign for a universal moratorium on the death penalty."

"If abolition is the final goal, a moratorium could be the first step in the process. But it is important that Europe finds the greatest possible consensus in order to influence the debate in the United Nations."

Marco Pannella (Radical Party, Italy) has consistently campaigned for an end to the death penalty:

"For the General Assembly to avoid a decision on this issue now - in the current political climate and positive public opinion behind a moratorium - would constitute a serious set-back for this historical political goal which is beginning to take shape across the globe from Rwanda to Kirghizstan and to France which is considering inserting a clause on abolition in its own Constitution."