On the occasion of the European and World Day against the Death Penalty, marked on 10 October each year, Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, published the following statement:

“The international drive to put an end to the death penalty resulted in its abolishment in the 47 member states of the Council of Europe and in many nations worldwide. At the same time, capital punishment, unfortunately, continues to be applied in some countries, including in one European country.

As the ultimate denial of human rights, the death penalty degrades the civilised principles of justice and contradicts the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights.

In my capacity as Chairman of the Committee of Ministers, I reiterate the Council of Europe’s determination to continue to act for the complete eradication of the death penalty, by appealing to all countries where such a practice still exists to abandon it without delay. No cause can justify that human life is taken away".
 

Read also: Joint declaration by European Union and Council of Europe

Council of Europe is death penalty free area