EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT. EU PARLIAMENT PRES URGES DEATH PENALTY'S GLOBAL ABOLITION

European Parliament president Josep Borrell called on the 76 countries still allowing the death penalty to respect the right to life and end the practice of capital punishment. Borrell said the US was the only democratic state that made "widespread use" of the death penalty and the EU had a duty to convince the Americans to abolish it.
"Most unfortunately, in the US the 1000th execution was carried out. The fact that it almost coincided with Human Rights Day makes this fact particularly poignant," Borrell told the EU assembly. "Luckily the death penalty is disappearing throughout the world, but the number of executions carried out is still excessively high."
"But there is a glimmer of hope. US society is changing its views on the death penalty," Borrell said.
Capital punishment is banned within the EU. "For us in Europe, the right to life is an inalienable right. No one ever loses their right to life, no matter what they have done." Borrell said.