First European Day against the Death Penalty

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Prime Minister and President of the European Council, President of the European Commission, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Excellencies, distinguished guests,

I am very pleased to be present here in Lisbon for the first European Day against the Death Penalty. The issue at stake is no less than the right to life. It could not be more important.

Globally, we have witnessed a decline in the use of the death penalty and a huge rise in the number of countries that have abolished this abhorrent practice in the last 10 years. However, a number of countries still carry out executions and some of them are even practising this form of punishment more often.

Norway is a staunch defender of human rights, the dignity of the individual and the principle of humanity.

Norway is fundamentally opposed to the use of death penalty, since it is wholly inconsistent with these principles. We believe that worldwide abolition of capital punishment will enhance human dignity and affirm respect for life.

While we are very aware of the suffering of the victims of violent crime and their families, we firmly believe that capital punishment undermines respect for the right to life. A life can never be taken to make amends for a crime – regardless of the heinousness of the crime.

The Rwandan people have suffered unspeakable crimes. And yet this very people showed wisdom and courage in deciding to abolish the death penalty earlier this year. Few things challenge our notions of justice and punishment more than coming to terms with the genocide in Rwanda.  And yet now that Rwanda is rebuilding its society (OK?**) it is doing so within the ambit of a death penalty-free zone. 

What a country with Rwanda’s history can do, any country can do.

Norway has for many years been an active supporter of the international efforts to end the use of the death penalty. We will continue to be a staunch supporter of global abolition within the framework of the UN, the OSCE and the Council of Europe, as well as other multilateral and bilateral forums. We will continue to urge all states that have not yet committed themselves to abolishing capital punishment to do so without delay and to ratify the second optional protocol to the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Protocol 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights.

Norway welcomes the establishment of a day to proclaim Europe a death penalty-free zone. It is only logical that the day coincides with the World Day against the Death Penalty launched in 2003 by NGOs, bar associations and unions. The common approach taken by Europe is unique and gives us a shared responsibility to work towards global abolition of the death penalty.

For 10 years now, Europe has been a de facto death penalty-free zone. The Council of Europe has been a pioneer in the abolition process, and promoted Europe as a role model in the global fight against capital punishment. The Council is therefore well placed to take on a further leadership role, and provide inspiration and sound arguments for future action.
 
The next step in this process should be the establishment of a world-wide moratorium on the death penalty with a view to achieving its universal abolition.
 
Let us work actively in all relevant multilateral arenas and bilateral human rights dialogues, and co-operate broadly with civil society to this end.
 
Let us seize the opportunity given by the Lisbon Proclamation of a European Day against the Death Penalty to join forces to extend the death penalty-free zone to cover the entire world.

Thank you.