Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-10-25-Speech-3-216"
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"en.20001025.9.3-216"2
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"Mr President, once again Parliament has declared itself to be in favour of human dignity and against the death penalty. But on this occasion it has done so following the approval by the Convention of the definitive text of the Charter on Fundamental Rights of the European Union. This Charter actually devotes its first chapter to human dignity, stating that it is inviolable and will be respected and protected. It also states that nobody can be condemned to the death penalty or executed.
Parliament has spoken in favour of the Charter being incorporated into the Treaties and these rights of European citizens being applied to citizens of third countries. However, it is more relevant than ever for us to ask ourselves whether it is time to demand that the Commission and the Council incorporate the abolition of the death penalty as a clause respecting human rights into negotiations with all third countries, not only those waiting in line to become part of the European Union.
1999 was another bad year. According to Amnesty International, almost 2000 people were executed and in 63 countries 4000 others were condemned to death. China, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United States are some of the 31 countries in which executions took place. Did you know that in this last country, in the United States, that great upholder of democratic fundamentals – as Concepció Ferrer was saying just now – 98 citizens were executed in 1999? Did you know that in 18 North-American states it is possible to execute a sixteen-year-old? Did you know that in that same country, since 1976, 34 mentally-retarded offenders have been executed? I draw attention to the United States, not because I am anti-American, which I am not, but because we are talking about a democracy with which we are on good terms, which watches over the interests of peace and democracy in the world.
I would like us all to ask ourselves whether we can do more. It is time we understood that humanitarian declarations alone are not enough. I believe that if we do not turn this fight into a political commitment, with a capital P, as a fundamental part of European foreign policy – and that is why I am pleased that Commissioner Patten is here – we will be doing less than we could to prevent this barbarism. Let us do all we can from within this House.
Let us remember the words of Albert Camus: “There will be no lasting peace either in the heart of individuals or in social customs until death is outlawed”. And another thing, Mr Patten, you were saying in your speech that we cannot guarantee zero error in executions. Every execution is an error. I am agnostic, but I read the Bible and it says that nobody should touch Cain in spite of the fact that he killed his brother Abel. Every execution is an error that democracy, the defence of human rights and human dignity cannot accept."@en1
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