Statement at “World Congress Against the Death Penalty”

(French version)

President, Director General, Ministers,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Governments that still practice death penalty claim that they have no choice.

Many times they push their people in front of them, saying that there is a popular demand for revenge or retribut­ion in their societies – that they have no real choice.

Some also keep on insisting that their traditions, values and religion make it impos­sible to abolish the death penalty.

They see death penalty as an unavoidable evil. Without it, individuals will be more vulnerable, societies more unstable.

They have no choice.

Ladies and gentlemen – of course they have a choice, and the global shift over the last twenty years has shown us that it is possible to choose not to use or have the death penalty. 

We are in fact winning the international debate.     

• Research has shown that the death penalty does not prevent serious crime.
• We have seen that countries where the death penalty has been abolished have not suffered disastrous consequences.

Indeed most have suffered no consequences at all with regard to stability or serious crime.

Of course executing the law is possible, without executing your citizens.

• We have also seen that the public in the vast majority of these countries that have abolished the death penalty has quickly accepted it.

There have not been huge demonstrations in favour of reinstating the death penalty – and the simple fact that almost no states have done it proves our point.

The fact is that there is no absolute demand for death penalty in any religion, culture or in criminal science. The vast majority of countries have relinquished the death penalty. 

There are countries that have chosen to abolish death penalty across all geographical regions, both rich and poor countries, of all cultures, all values and all traditions. 

There is great variation in the practice of the death penalty among countries with the same dominant religions. This applies to Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist – and secular.

All of this shows that each country is free to chose! 

They are free to choose regardless of their economic status, cultural or religious belonging. 

Therefore our message must be clear: The door is open for greater freedom for all countries to choose not to take lives. 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Norway firmly believes that this freedom should be used to abolish the death penalty.

We have pledged to work systematically and impartially to fight the death penalty in our relations with all states.

One of the first things I did when I reassumed office after the election this autumn was to issue guidelines to all Norwegian embassies and the relevant sections in the Ministry on our efforts against the death penalty.

Norway consistently protests against executions in all countries, both alone and together with the EU, Switzerland, Canada and many other countries on all continents.

We also co-sponsor of this World Conference against the Death Penalty in Geneva. There are several reasons for that.

One of them is that we strongly believe in the partnership between states, international organizations and NGOs if we are going to reach our goal.

We also work against the death penalty through our human rights dialogues with China, Indonesia and Vietnam. Next month Norway will host and fund the 1st International Oslo Symposium on Death Penalty in Asia.

I am also encouraged to see that many research-based pro­jects and events are being planned in many countries during the next two-year period.

But while we all work on this issue in practical ways – and in our dialogues with other countries, I believe that it is important that we continue to take a principled approach to the question of death penalty.

Our message must be clear, whether we are speaking in Africa, the Middle East, Asia or on the American continent.  It is encouraging to see the renewed debate in countries as far apart as Morocco, Japan and the USA.  

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I started by saying that there has been a global shift. Twenty years ago, 52 countries had abolished the death penalty. Today, 148 countries have decided against capital punishment.

The balance has tipped. The speed has been extraordinary. In 2008, in fact only 25 nations carried out executions. We have seen a grand global change: Not only in action, but also in views.

For me, this is a sign of a rising respect for human dignity and the sanctity of human life.

Today, we are at a crucial point in the long battle against death penalty worldwide -a real turning point.

If we are to make sure that we continue in the right direction, we need to continue to commit ourselves to the task.

Norway remains committed – and we will seek to ensure – together with our partners - that this turning point - towards a worldwide abolishment of the death penalty - is a point of no return. 

Thank you.