Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-12-12-Speech-3-221"
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"en.20011212.6.3-221"2
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".
The European Union believes that the death penalty, which is, of course, irreversible, is a particularly inhumane punishment. The EU is therefore opposed to the death penalty in all cases and it has agreed to work towards its universal abolition. The EU is concerned that approximately 90 States keep this punishment, although only a minority – thirty countries or so, one of which is the United States – continues to carry out executions every year.
In 1998, as part of its objective to universally abolish the death penalty, the European Union drew up a series of guidelines to specify the circumstances in which it should undertake specific and targeted actions. In countries where the death penalty still exists, the Union is working to progressively limit its application and insists that the punishment be carried out whilst observing specific minimum standards. I know that this is only partly limiting the unbearable awfulness of the act, but, even in such horrible circumstances, this is how things must be done…
The European Union is closely monitoring the situation in the United States, where numerous executions take place. In 2001, steps were taken to help a number of people on death row, in line with the European Union’s guidelines, in Georgia, Oklahoma and Texas. In addition, in the autumn of 2000, the Union decided, for the first time, to intervene as
in a trial before the Supreme Federal Court involving a condemned man, in order to raise before the Court the issue of the legality in international law of the sentencing to death of a person who was a minor at the time of the events. The Presidency-in-Office of the Union submitted another request to intervene as
for Alexander Williams, who was condemned to death for a crime that he committed when he was under 18 years of age. The matter is still before the Supreme Court of Georgia. In another case – Atkins v Virginia – the European Union intends to make another request to intervene as
before the Supreme Court in order to reaffirm its position on the application of the death penalty to people suffering from mental illness.
The Council is aware of the details of the Housel affair and, in particular, of the fact that a judgement by the Supreme Court of the United States could be handed down before the end of the year. We would like to emphasise that, for those facing the death penalty who are nationals of a Member State, the European Union acts at the request of that Member State, which is best placed to judge whether it is appropriate for the Community to intervene. At this stage, the Council has not yet received a request from the United Kingdom to assist Mr Housel. The Council was informed that the United Kingdom is very actively monitoring this matter, in conjunction with Mr Housel’s lawyers."@en1
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