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-----Original Message----- From: Council of Europe Press [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: 03 May 2002 10:02 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [balkanhr] COM - 36 Council of Europe member states undertake to abolish the death penalty in all circumstances Council of Europe Press Release Spokesperson and Press Division Tel. +33 3 88 41 25 60 Fax. +33 3 88 41 27 89 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more informations: www.coe.int 36 Council of Europe member states undertake to abolish the death penalty in all circumstances Vilnius, 03.05.2002 - The Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Representatives of 36 member states (*) of the Council of Europe, present in Vilnius on the occasion of the 110th session of the Organisation's Committee of Ministers, today signed Protocol No. 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights, concerning the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances. With Protocol No. 6, and a moratorium in the countries that have not yet ratified it, the 44 Council of Europe member states already constituted a death-penalty-free zone in peacetime. Protocol No. 13 provides the Organisation with an instrument that prohibits capital punishment, whatever the circumstances. "The Council of Europe was already proud to have banished the death penalty in peacetime on a continent where more than 800 million people live. With Protocol No. 13, it opens the way to abolishing this barbaric punishment in all circumstances. We hope that this will be a decisive step towards a universal abolition of the death penalty and we shall spare no effort in achieving this," declared Walter Schwimmer, Secretary General of the 44-nation Organisation. The Protocol will enter into force with 10 ratifications. The text and further information available at http://conventions.coe.int (*) 36 signatory States : Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Ireland, Malta and Switzerland signed and ratified this Protocol. 2 Press Release Council of Europe Spokesperson and Press Division Ref: 240a02 Contact : Can Fisek Tel: +33 3 88 41 30 41 ; portable +33 6 76 65 03 41 Fax:+33 3 88 41 39 11 [EMAIL PROTECTED] internet: www.coe.int/press To receive our press releases by e-mail, contact : [EMAIL PROTECTED] A political organisation set up in 1949, the Council of Europe works to promote democracy and human rights continent-wide. It also develops common responses to social, cultural and legal challenges in its 44 member states. Balkan Human Rights List Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Home: Balkan Human Rights Web Pages: http://www.greekhelsinki.gr The Balkan Human Rights List: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/balkanhr The Greek Human Rights List: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/greekhr Center of Documentation and Information on Minorities in Europe - Southeast Europe: http://www.cedime.net Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9617B Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================