Papua New Guinea: Statement by the Spokesperson on the abolition of the death penalty

F.P. Report

BRUSSELS: The National Parliament of Papua New Guinea has taken an important step repealing the death penalty and commuting the sentences of all prisoners on death row to life imprisonment.

The European Union welcomes this decision by Papua New Guinea, which is a further step towards the universal abolition of the death penalty.

The European Union is strongly opposed to the death penalty under all circumstances and considers it to be a cruel and degrading punishment which fails to provide deterrence to criminal behaviour, and represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity. The European Union will continue to work for its abolition in the few remaining countries that still apply it.