Execution of 11 persons in Jordan: Statement of the European Union Delegation in Jordan, in agreement with the EU Member States, Norway and Switzerland Missions

THE EXECUTION OF 11 PERSONS IN JORDAN, 21 December 2014

The European Union Delegation issues the following statement in agreement with the EU Member States, Norway and Switzerland Heads of Mission in Jordan (23/12/2014)

"The European Union Delegation, the EU Member States, Norway and Switzerland Missions in Jordan deplore the execution on 21st December of eleven persons sentenced to the death penalty. It constitutes a clear and regrettable setback and it comes after Jordan has applied a de facto moratorium for eight years.

The European Union, Norway and Switzerland are opposed to capital punishment in all cases and under all circumstances. The European Union, Norway and Switzerland consider the death penalty to be a cruel and inhuman punishment, as well as irreversible. It fails to provide deterrence to criminal behaviour and represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity.

The European Union, Norway and Switzerland restate their commitment to the worldwide abolition of the death penalty and call upon the Jordanian authorities to introduce a moratorium as a first step towards abolition of the death penalty."