EU High Representative Catherine Ashton expressed...

EU High Representative Catherine Ashton expressed concern about the increasing use of the death penalty in Iraq. "The increase in executions in the last months clearly goes against the worldwide trend towards the abolition of the death penalty," she said in a statement. The EU called on Iraq to cease carrying out executions and to introduce a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, with a view to its abolition. The 27-member European bloc urged Iraq to adhere to minimum international standards for the use of the death penalty. "The death penalty should only be imposed for the most serious crimes, and in the case of clear and compelling evidence. It should never be used in cases where convictions were based on confessions that may have been coerced, and an effective right to appeal must be ensured," added the statement.