EU-ACP: Death penalty is the greatest abuse of human rights

“The EPP Group will strongly oppose the death penalty, the ultimate breach in human rights”, insisted EPP Group Coordinator in the European Parliament’s Development Committee, Gay Mitchell MEP. During a debate in Strasbourg today, ACP delegates at the 27th EU-ACP Joint Parliamentary Assembly warned that action against Uganda and Nigeria could lead to the end of cooperation under the Cotonou Agreement. The two countries are under the spotlight because of the recently-passed controversial laws that punish homosexuality.

"No EU state may have the death penalty nor accept severe prison sentences for sexual activities among consenting adults. The EU does sometimes try to export its culture from Europe to the developing world and ACP MPs have a point when they claim this. However, in the area of the death penalty, the EU treats all countries similarly. If, say, New Zealand or Norway introduced a law like this we would do exactly the same", Gay Mitchell said. "It is not only alarming that Uganda or Nigeria are passing such laws, what is alarming is that other ACP countries support such measures. This is unacceptable and we will not be silent", he concluded.