Indonesia’s executions: MEPs call for immediate moratorium on death penalty

Members of all European Parliament political groups condemned the recent execution of eight people in Indonesia, and called for an immediate moratorium on the death penalty there. In a debate on Thursday with International Cooperation Commissioner Neven Mimica, MEPs stressed that even though they respect Indonesia's sovereignty and its fight against drug trafficking, the death penalty can never be justified.

MEPs urged the Indonesian authorities to abolish the death penalty, suggesting that it be replaced with other sanctions, such as life imprisonment. Many also questioned whether the people executed and those still on death row, among them a French citizen, really had fair trials. They cited the execution of Brazilian Rodrigo Gularte, despite his alleged mental illness, and a lack of lawyers and interpreters.Some MEPs referred to Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orbán's recent statement about a possible restoration of the death penalty, saying that Europe should be proud of its ban on the death penalty and should fight any attempt to reintroduce it.

Several underlined that the death penalty is inhuman and has not been proven to prevent crimes.Commissioner Mimica added that the EU is using all possible instruments, including assistance to combat drug trafficking and political pressure, to prevent recourse to the death penalty in any circumstances.