CHURCH URGES AUSTRALIAN GOVT TO OPPOSE DEATH PENALTY

the Catholic Church is stepping up its pressure on the Australian federal government to ensure that it maintain consistency in opposing the use of the death penalty, regardless of who is being executed. The chairman of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, Bishop Christopher Saunders, argued that “our opposition to capital punishment cannot end at our national borders. The dignity and sanctity of all human life must be respected in all circumstances. Every person, whatever their citizenship, shares the most fundamental right – the right to life.” He pointed to the Coalition and Labor parties who were unequivocal in pleading with the Singapore Government to spare the life of drug trafficker Van Nguyen from execution while taking the opposite approach to the execution of the Bali smugglers. Saunders urged the Australian government to work ardently with neighbouring countries to abolish the death penalty.