EU-erklæring om avskaffelse av dødsstraff i den amerikanske delstaten Connecticut

EUROPEAN UNION

Brussels, 26 April 2012

Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the abolition of the death penalty in the US State of Connecticut

The European Union warmly welcomes the signing by Governor Dannel P. Malloy on 25 April 2012 of the legislation abolishing the death penalty in the State of Connecticut. 

The European Union congratulates the Governor, the Senate and the House of Representatives on this historic decision, making Connecticut the 17th State in the United States to abandon capital punishment.

The European Union strongly hopes that this decision will encourage other US States to follow suit in joining the growing national and worldwide movement towards the abolition of the use of capital punishment.

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 Acceding Country Croatia*, the Candidate Countries Turkey, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, Montenegro*, Iceland+ and Serbia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the FTA countries Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Azerbaijan and Georgia, align themselves with this declaration.

* Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.
+ Iceland continues to be a member of the EFTA and of the European Economic Area.