Statement by the Spokesperson of EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on the latest execution in Belarus

EU News 184/2014

Brussels, 22 April 2014
140422/02

The spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, issued the following statement today:

"The High Representative strongly condemns the execution of Pavel Selyun, who was sentenced to death in June 2013.

The High Representative is conscious of the serious nature of the crimes for which he was convicted. However, she does not believe that capital punishment can ever be justified. The European Union opposes capital punishment under all circumstances. The death penalty is considered to be a cruel and inhuman punishment, which fails to act as a deterrent and represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity.

The High Representative urges Belarus, the only country in Europe still applying capital punishment, to join a global moratorium on the death penalty as a first step towards its universal abolition."

Source and additional information:
http://eeas.europa.eu/statements/docs/2014/140422_02.pdf

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