The European Union spokesman earlier today told Pakistan to impose a moratorium on the death penalty and ‘respect’ its international obligations.
“The EU calls on Pakistan to reinstitute the moratorium and to respect fully all its international obligations, in particular the principle of fair trial,” a statement by the EU Delegation to Pakistan, quoting its spokesman said here Wednesday.
The statement said “the EU also recalls that Article 6(5) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Pakistan is a party, specifically prohibits the use of the death sentence for crimes committed by persons below eighteen years of age.”
The European Union, it said “is opposed to capital punishment in all cases and without exception, and has consistently called for its universal abolition.”
At least 39 people have been executed in Pakistan since December 2014, when the government lifted a moratorium on executions in place since 2008. This includes 12 convicts this morning.
“Contrary to the Government of Pakistan’s stated policy that only clearly identified terrorists would be executed, convicts not sentenced on terrorist charges are now being executed,” the statement clarified.
