Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton on executions in Taiwan

2012/12/22

Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton on executions in Taiwan

 21 December 2012

（中文版本）


"I deplore the 6 executions, which took place in Taiwan on 21 December 2012. This goes against the abolitionist trend worldwide.

We recognise the suffering of victims and their families when faced with terrible crimes, and we express our sincere sympathy to them. However, the European Union's strongly held view in favour of the abolition of capital punishment is well known. The European Union considers that the abolition of the death penalty contributes to the enhancement of human dignity and the progressive development of human rights. The death penalty does not serve as an effective deterrent, and any miscarriage of justice, which is inevitable in any legal system, is irreversible.

I therefore call on Taiwan's authorities to avoid undertaking new executions but instead to take concrete steps towards reducing the use of capital punishment to allow the resumption of a de facto moratorium".