ARCHIVE · DOCUMENT
NOVEMBER 18, 1999European Parliament Resolution on Establishing a Worldwide Moratorium on Capital Punishment, with Particular Reference to the Sentences against Joaquín José Martinez, Mumia Abu Jamal and Larry Robison (B5-0272, 0274, 0282, 0283, 0284, 0287, 0297 and 0306/
Adopted in Strasbourg on November 18, 1999
The European Parliament,
-
- having regard to its previous resolutions on the death penalty,
- having regard to the memorandum by the European Union at the 54th United Nations General Assembly,
A. having regard to the continuing use of capital punishment in many countries,
B. reiterating that the abolition of capital punishment constitutes a fundamental step towards enhancing human dignity, ongoing developing of human rights and increasing respect for those rights,
C. deeply concerned at the threat of execution hanging over thousands of people in the world, but encouraged by the fact that the number of abolitionist countries is steadily growing,
D. reiterating the welcome it extended to the initiative taken by the Council on behalf of the EU at the 54th United Nations General Assembly with regard to a moratorium on capital punishment,
E. disturbed by the death sentence handed down on Joaquín José Martinez, a European citizen of Spanish nationality, by a court in Florida (USA) in 1997, and having regard to the decision to be taken by the Florida Supreme Court on the appeal lodged by his defence which is claiming that the trial was marred by numerous procedural irregularities,
F. whereas the journalist Mumia Abu Jamal was sentenced to death in December 1982; whereas there has so far been a consistent refusal to review the trial; whereas the execution scheduled for 2 December 1999 has been postponed,
G. having regard to the case of Larry Robison, whose execution has been postponed in the US following doubts about his mental health,
H. disturbed by the frequent executions of US citizens who are later proved to have been innocent,
1. Deplores in the strongest possible terms the fact that the requisite conditions were not forthcoming during the UN General Assembly negotiations on the adoption of a resolution on a moratorium on capital punishment;
2. Voices its disappointment that the Finnish Presidency-in-Office of the Council found itself constrained to ask for postponement of the negotiation of the resolution containing the call for a moratorium on executions, pending total abolition;
3. Urges all the Member States and the Presidency-in-Office of the Council to do everything in their power to bring about a vote on a moratorium on capital punishment during the current session, stressing that achieving such an objective within the United Nations would constitute considerable progress towards the ultimate goal of abolishing the death penalty;
4. Calls on the European Union Institutions to put pressure on the USA not to proceed with the executions;
5. Calls for a retrial for Joaquín José Martinez, with all due legal guarantees, and for his death sentence to be lifted once and for all;
6. Calls on the Federal Court of Pennsylvania to commute the death sentence passed on Mumia Abu Jamal and instructs its delegation for relations with the USA to raise the issue at its next meeting with the US parliamentary representatives;
7. Calls on the members of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles and Governor George Bush Jr. to grant clemency to Larry Robison and commute his sentence;
8. Appeals to the Supreme Court of the United States to meet its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and to abolish capital punishment for crimes committed by minors;
9. Calls on the Council to consider the possibility of making the abolition of capital punishment an integral part of the human rights clause when negotiating agreements with third countries;
10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission, the President of the UN Commission on Human Rights, the Congress and Administration of the USA, the Governor of the State of Pennsylvania, the Federal Court of Pennsylvania, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Governor of the State of Texas and the Florida Supreme Court.