Lisbon: Conference “Europe against the Death Penalty”

José Manuel Barroso (President of the European Commission) officially opened the conference “Europe Against the Death Penalty”. During the conference, a joint declaration was signed by the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the EU Presidency, and the European Commission, marking the beginning of the first European Day Against the Death Penalty. The death penalty is contrary to the fundamental rights on which the Council of Europe and the European Union are founded. Therefore, this event aims to encourage public debate and to pressure countries that maintain the death penalty to abolish it. The World Day Against the Death Penalty is observed on October 10th.