Doc. 8079

21 April 1998

Abolition of capital punishment

Reply to Recommendation 1246 (1994)

Abolition of the death penalty in Europe

Reply to Recommendation 1302 (1996)

from the Committee of Ministers

adopted on 16 April 1998 at the 628^th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies

      The Committee of Ministers shares the Parliamentary Assembly's strong convictions against recourse to the death penalty and its determination to do all in its power to ensure that capital executions cease to take place.

The political consensus over this question finds its most concrete expression in the Final Declaration of the Second Summit (October 1997) in which the Heads of State and Government, convinced that the promotion of human rights and the strengthening of pluralist democracy both contribute to stability in Europe (…) called for the universal abolition of the death penalty and insisted on the maintenance in the meantime, of existing moratoria on executions in Europe.

The Committee of Ministers therefore considers that the priority is to obtain and maintain moratoria on executions, to be consolidated by complete abolition of the death penalty. In exercising influence to this end, it considers it important to act in partnership and constructive dialogue with the Assembly, particularly in view, on the one hand, of the essential responsibility of the legislator in this field and on the other of the need to sensitise public opinion.