Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
On the occasion of the European and World Day against the Death Penalty, the European Union and the Council of Europe reaffirm their unequivocal opposition to the death penalty or its re-imposition, in all cases and under all circumstances.
We also welcome the growing global support for the abolition of the death penalty, with more than two-thirds of all countries having abolished the death penalty in law or in practice. Last year, the number of countries carrying out executions was at an all-time low, according to a joint statement by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, which is responsible for human rights and democracy and is not affiliated with the Council of the European Union, which represents the member states. The statement also said: “Despite this trend towards abolition, the death penalty continues to be carried out in a number of countries. The five countries with the highest number of executions in 2023 were China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and the United States of America. Iran alone was responsible for 74% of all recorded executions. The use of nitrogen hypoxia in the United States of America, a controversial method of execution, is a major concern. Belarus is the only country in Europe that still carries out the death penalty. We call on the few remaining countries that still carry out executions to impose a moratorium as a first step towards full abolition. Proponents of the death penalty often base their argument on the idea that it deters crime, yet evidence clearly shows that the death penalty has little or no effect on deterring or reducing crime. The death penalty does not make societies safer, and moreover, it makes miscarriages of justice irreversible.

The Council of Europe and the European Union are committed to strengthening their cooperation to counter narratives that promote the re-imposition of the death penalty, including in Europe, and to promote open and democratic debate towards its complete abolition worldwide. We are determined to support all efforts aimed at improving transparency around the use of the death penalty and to strengthen our engagement with young people and civil society.

The death penalty is a relic of the past and should have no place in the 21st century. It must be abolished now