The European Union has hailed the decision to impose moratorium on the use of death penalty in the US state of California and will continue to encourage the abolition of this practice around the world, the spokesperson for the EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Maja Kocijancic said.
On Wednesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom suspended capital punishment in the state, where a total of 13 people had been executed since 1978.
“This positive step further encourages the growing trend to abandon capital punishment. Over two thirds of the countries in the world have already, by law or de facto, abolished the death penalty … As the European Union, we strongly oppose the death penalty and will continue encouraging its abolition worldwide,” the spokesperson said in a statement, published late on Wednesday.
California, the most populous US state, also has the highest number of inmates who received a death penalty sentence. As many as 737 people awaited execution when the governor signed the decree.
California has joined three other US states that have a governor-imposed moratorium on executions. Another 20 states and the District of Columbia have abolished the death penalty altogether, while the rest 30 still have it in place.(UNI)
European Union welcomes death penalty moratorium in US California : statement
