EU Presidency declaration - Death Penalty in Indonesia

The European Union has learned with dismay that despite previous expressions of concern of the EU and human rights organisations to the Indonesian authorities, Indonesia has carried out an execution in Medan. In doing so, Indonesia has abolished its de facto moratorium on the death penalty.

Reiterating the EU's principled stance against the death penalty and recalling the fact that the EU has discussed this stance with the Indonesian authorities on several occasions, the EU would like to express its regret on the recent execution in Medan. The EU urges the Indonesian government to refrain from carrying out more executions and thereby reinstall the de facto moratorium. Furthermore the EU hopes that Indonesia will consider the abolition of the death penalty and to enshrine this abolition in law.

The Candidate Countries Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Croatia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this declaration.


* Croatia continues to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

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• EU Presidency declaration on the death penalty in India  (18/8/2004)
• EU Presidency declaration to mark the first World Day Against the Death Penalty (10/10/2003)
• EU reaffirms its position against the death penalty (10/10/2003)
• Commission adopts framework for co-operation with Indonesia (13/6/2002)