John Deasy
Question:68 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the representations made by the European Union in 2003 to countries outside the Union that continue to allow the use of the death penalty. [30424/03]
Written Answers. - Human Rights Issues.
Ireland, along with our EU partners, is adamantly opposed to the use of the death penalty and accordingly seeks its universal abolition. The Government is strongly of the view that EU intervention carries significantly greater force than individual bilateral interventions by national governments.
In 1998, the EU adopted guidelines on the abolition of the death penalty, which set out clearly the common EU position on the use of the death penalty. These guidelines now form the basis for Ireland's concerted interventions, along with other EU member states, in death penalty issues.
The guidelines state that, where the death penalty still exists, the EU will continue to press for its use to be progressively restricted and for moratoria to be introduced. In addition to interventions on the use of the death penalty in principle, it has also been agreed that, where the facts of individual cases suggest a violation of basic minimum standards under international law, the union will consider making a specific intervention.
Since the adoption of the guidelines, the EU has pressed for abolition and has also made démarches or direct diplomatic representations on the use of the death penalty in a number of countries. In 2003, in accordance with the EU guidelines on the death penalty, case-specific démarches were made to a number of countries, including the United States of America, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, China, India, Uzbekistan, Qatar and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In addition to this, the EU frequently raises the issue of the death penalty in démarches on human rights issues, through its human rights dialogues and by raising the issue at appropriate regional and international fora such as the Council of Europe, the OSCE and the UN Commission on Human Rights. The European Union, including Ireland, was the principal sponsor of a resolution on the death penalty at the Commission on Human Rights earlier this year.
The abolition of the death penalty is a political priority for Ireland and our EU partners. Ireland along with our EU partners will continue to work for its worldwide abolition.