On November 2, Ann Marie Nyroos, speaking at the Third...

On November 2, Ann Marie Nyroos, speaking at the Third Committee of the General Assembly (human rights) under item 116a (death penalty), said the EU is convinced that the abolition of the death penalty contributes to the enhancement of human dignity and to the progressive development of human rights. "Therefore we are committed to opposing the death penalty wherever it occurs with the ultimate aim being its abolition. We welcome the recent ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and call on States Parties to the Covenant to consider ratifying this protocol. The European Union is concerned that in many cases where the death penalty is not yet abolished, it is frequently applied in violation of the minimum safeguards set out in the ICCPR, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the ECOSOC Safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty. The EU calls on all States which have not yet abolished the death penalty to comply with these safeguards and to progressively restrict the number of offenses for which the death penalty may be imposed. The issue of capital punishment has had its legitimate place on the international human rights agenda from the early years of the work of the United Nations. The United Nations can continue to play a catalytic role to facilitate a positive and progressive development in this regard."