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Press release - 621(2007)

The Council of Europe declares the 10th of October European Day against the Death Penalty

Strasbourg, 27.09.2007 - The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has decided to declare a "European Day against the Death Penalty", which will be held annually on 10 October. On this occasion, the Committee expressed the hope that the European Union will join the initiative as soon as possible.

The Council of Europe has been a pioneer in the abolition process which has made Europe a de facto death-penalty-free zone since 1997.

There are two Council of Europe legal instruments outlawing the death penalty:

Protocol No. 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the first legally-binding instrument providing for the unconditional abolition of the death penalty in peacetime;

Protocol No. 13 to the ECHR concerning the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances.

The Day will be a European contribution to the World Day against the Death Penalty, which is held annually on 10 October.

On 9 October, the leaders of the Council of Europe and the European Union, as well as representatives of the organisations' member states, will gather at an international conference against the death penalty in Lisbon, organised by the Portuguese Presidency of the EU with the support of the European Commission. Many other leading personalities from the political sphere and civil society will take part in the conference, which will reaffirm Europe's commitment to the worldwide abolition of the death penalty and will call for a global moratorium.

For more information, see www.coe.int/deathpenalty .

Press contact:

Estelle Steiner, Press officer

Tel. +33 3 88 41 33 35, mobile +33 06 08 46 01 57, estelle.steiner@coe.int .

Council of Europe Press Division

Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 60

Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 39 11

pressunit@coe.int

www.coe.int/press