EU Presidency declaration on the abolition of the death penalty in Senegal

The European Union welcomes the decision taken by the authorities of Senegal to abolish the death penalty. On International Human Rights Day, 10 December 2004, the Parliament of Senegal adopted the bill that was unanimously adopted by the Senegalese government in July 2004.

The European Union considers that abolition of the death penalty contributes to the enhancement of human dignity and the progressive development of human rights and reaffirms its objective to work towards its universal abolition, or at least the introduction of moratoria on executions as a first step towards that aim.

In this regard, the European Union considers that the decision of the Senegalese authorities further confirms the high priority Senegal is attaching to the promotion of human rights.

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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