Local EU Statement on two executions in Japan

EU News 103/2016

Tokyo, 28 March, 2016

The European Union Delegation to Japan issues the following statement in agreement with the EU Heads of Mission:

On 25 March, two executions were carried out in Japan, adding to the twenty one other persons that have been executed since March 2012. The European Union (EU) and its Member States have consistently and repeatedly called on the Japanese authorities to adopt a moratorium on executions, recalling the period of 20 months before March 2012 when no executions in the country took place.

The EU holds a strong and principled position against the death penalty and is opposed to the use of capital punishment under any circumstances. The death penalty is cruel and inhuman, and has not been shown in any way to act as a deterrent to crime. Furthermore, any errors - inevitable in any legal system - are irreversible. We will continue our active pursuit of its abolition worldwide.

The EU joins all of those who, in Japan and abroad, have asked for a thorough review of Japan's current policy.

 

File Image: Debate on the Death Penalty (C)EU URL

 

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