Brussels, 19.11.2020 The European Union diplomacy has issued a statement, expressing “sincere sympathy” to convicts, and families of those executed on terrorism charges in Iraq. In a written statement, attributed to a spokesperson, the European diplomacy has risen to defence of human rights of the convicts, condemning in the “strongest possible terms”, the executions, assessing them as criminal acts in themselves.

“Earlier this week, twenty one individuals convicted on terrorism-related charges were reportedly executed in Nasiriyah Central Prison, also known as Al Hoot, in Iraq. The European Union condemns in the strongest terms the criminal actions for which they were sentenced and expresses its sincere sympathy to any victims and their families. At the same time, the European Union recalls its opposition to the use of capital punishment under any circumstances.

“The European Union considers the death penalty a cruel and inhumane punishment, which fails to act as a deterrent to crime. It represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity while any miscarriages of justice are irreversible.

“The European Union therefore calls on Iraqi authorities to refrain from any future executions, to declare and maintain a de facto moratorium on the use of capital punishment, and to pursue a consistent policy towards the abolition of the death penalty in the country”.

According to Amnesty International, China is leading in executions, but the exact number remains unknown as this data is classified as a state secret; the global figure of at least 657 excludes the thousands of executions believed to have been carried out in China.
From available data, without China, 86% of all reported executions took place in just four countries – Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Egypt.

At the end of last year, 106 countries had abolished the death penalty in law for all crimes, and 142 countries had abolished the death penalty in law or practice.