Summary: September 23, 2003: Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union and the acceding countries on the decision by the National Assembly of Armenia to abolish the death penalty and to ratify Protocol n.6 to the European Convention on Human Rights (Brussels)
The EU wishes to congratulate the National Assembly of Armenia on its decisions to abolish the death penalty and to ratify Protocol No. 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights. These acts will not only abolish de jure the death penalty from Armenia's juridical system but will also allow Armenia to honour one of the commitments undertaken when it became a member of the Council of Europe in 2001.
The European Union is opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances. Promoting universal abolition of the death penalty is a key component of the EU's human rights policy. The EU therefore considers the Armenian Parliament's decision a significant step in the implementation of Armenia's commitment to the values and principles which are at the core of the community of European states.
The EU calls on Armenia to now also sign and ratify Protocol No. 13 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, concerning the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances.
The Acceding Countries Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia, the Associated Countries Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area align themselves with this declaration.
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