Pavel TELIČKA (ALDE, CZ), EP Vice-President, Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the EC, Didier REYNDERS, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, participate in the 7th World Congress against the death penalty, organised from February 26th to the 1st of March 2019 in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Brussels

conference

MOGHERINI, Federica (IT, EC)

TELIČKA, Pavel (ALDE, CZ)

REYNDERS, Didier (BE, EC)

death penalty (T)

7th World Congress against the death penalty: extracts from the opening statements

SOUNDBITE (English), Pavel TELI&#268;KA (ALDE, CZ), European Parliament Vice-President, It is my pleasure and honour infact to welcome you today in the European Parliament, on behalf of President Tajani, who unfortunately cannot make it today to be here with us for the opening of the 7th World Congress against the death penalty. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Pavel TELIČKA (ALDE, CZ), European Parliament Vice-President, The death penalty is not an effective deterrent against crime. It may lead to irreversible and irreparable damage in case of miscarriage of justice. It's application is often arbitaray or discriminatory or used as a political weapon  against opponents. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Pavel TELIČKA (ALDE, CZ), European Parliament Vice-President, The European Parliament will continue its engagement. We fully support the efforts of the European Union in this area including the full implementation in European Union guidelines of the death penalty. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, Every human life matters. No matter how it is used, no matter how many mistakes a person makes. We believe that a state should never dispose off the life of a human being. We believe that the response to a crime, must never be another crime. We have moved beyond the idea of an eye for an eye. And we believe in justice not in revenge. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, The first World Congress against the death penalty, took place in another capital of the European Union in 2001 in Strasbourg.Since then, 31 new countries have decided abolish the capital punishment. More and more people around the world are realising that the death penalty is never the good choice. More and more governments are taking action and this is thanks to people like you in this room. Your campaigns, your work, your dedication and also with the power of your stories. 

SOUNDBITE (French), Didier REYNDERS, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs, The death penalty is often applied in a discriminatory fashion. In particular, the poorest or most vulnerable people in economic terms, are affected in a disproportionate fashion. Other groups like foreign citizens, racial or ethnic minorities, sexual minority groups or women also suffer disproportionately. It's crucial that we don't lose site of the perspective of victims. 

SOUNDBITE (French), Didier REYNDERS, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs, Belgium is particularly concerned by the fate of so called hidden victims. Particularly children, whose parents are condemned to death or have been executed. The fate of these children who are penalised twice, deserves greater attention. 