European and World Day against the death penalty, 10 October 2024
This year, the European and World Day Against the Death Penalty is dedicated to challenging the misconception that the death penalty can make societies safer.
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy issued a joint statement in which they strongly reaffirm their unequivocal opposition to the death penalty, including any reintroduction of it, in all cases and in all circumstances.
Joint statement is also available in:
French (Français), German (Deutsch), Italian (italiano),
Spanish (Español), Russian (Русский).
On 25 September, the Ministers’ Deputies engaged in a thematic discussion about the abolition of the death penalty, specifically addressing the situation in Belarus, the only country on the European continent that still applies this inhumane punishment. On 9 October, they approved a series of decisions reiterating their strong opposition to the death penalty, including any potential reintroduction of it, in all places and in all circumstances, and advocating for the global abolition of capital punishment. The decisions inter alia welcome the theme of the World Day, highlights the importance in this respect of Protocol n° 13 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, concerning the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances, and recalls that there is no conclusive evidence of the deterrent value of the death penalty.
The newly appointed General Rapporteur on the abolition of the death penalty of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Ms Gala Veldhoen, also issued a statement entitled "The death penalty does not make societies safer."
Since the 4th Council of Europe Summit of Heads of State and Governments, held in May 2023 in Reykjavik, whose guidance was confirmed by the meeting of Foreign Ministers of 16-17 May 2024, the Council of Europe has undertaken several actions “to strengthen initiatives to counter pro-death penalty narratives in Europe and contribute to global abolition." For example, it has launched a series of workshops entitled "Death is not Justice – youth advocacy and awareness-raising for the abolition of the death penalty", with the aim of setting up a network of young ambassadors to fight for the abolition across Europe and the world. The young Ambassadors from across Europe prepared a declaration on the occasion of the European and World Day, as did the participants of the workshop held within the framework of the North South Center’s African University on Youth and Development. Some of them are also conducting specific actions to promote the abolition. The participants of the workshop on the advancement of the issue of abolition of the death penalty in Belarus are starting a campaign.
In addition, the Council of Europe has launched or will launch other initiatives in view of the next World Congress against the death penalty in 2026. For instance, the Observatory on History Teaching in Europe has started this week to work on a study aiming to examine how the abolition of the death penalty is taught throughout Europe.