A Step Backwards: EU Condemns Israel’s Approval of Death Penalty, Sends Strong Message
- The European Union has strongly criticised Israel’s Parliament for approving the Death Penalty Bill
- In a statement on March 27, the EU warned the move would be “a grave step backwards"
- The EU urged Israel to uphold its long-standing moratorium on capital punishment and respect international law
On March 27, the European Union (EU) issued a strong statement on X, warning that the approval of the Death Penalty Bill by the Israeli Parliament would mark “a grave step backwards.”
The EU reiterated its firm opposition to capital punishment, stressing that it is unacceptable “in all cases and under all circumstances.”
Source: Getty Images
EU warns death penalty violates human rights
The EU emphasised that the death penalty violates the fundamental right to life and cannot be applied without breaching the absolute right to be free from torture and other ill-treatment.
It also highlighted that capital punishment has “no proven deterrent effect” and makes judicial errors irreversible.
Israel’s previous position
The statement noted that Israel has long maintained a de facto moratorium on executions and capital punishment sentencing. This stance, according to the EU, set a positive example in the region despite ongoing security challenges.
The EU warned that approving the bill would undermine this important practice and contradict positions Israel has previously expressed.
Call for compliance with International law
The EU urged Israel to remain committed to its obligations under international law and democratic principles. It pointed to the EU-Israel Association Agreement as a reflection of these shared values.
Source: Getty Images
See the full statement below:
"The Death Penalty Bill approved by the security committee of the Israeli Parliament is deeply concerning. The European Union opposes capital punishment in all cases and under all circumstances.
"The death penalty is a violation of the right to life and cannot be executed without violation of the absolute right to be free from torture and other ill-treatment. Capital punishment also has no proven deterrent effect and renders any judicial errors irreversible.
"Israel has long upheld a de facto moratorium on both executions and capital punishment sentencing, thereby leading by example in the region despite a complex security environment.
"Approving this bill would represent a grave step backward from this important practice and from positions Israel has itself expressed in the past.
"The EU encourages Israel to abide by its previous principled position, with its obligations under international law, as well as its commitment to democratic principles, as reflected also in the provisions of the EU-Israel Association backwards.."
See the X post below:
US and Israel refuse to condemn slavery
Legit.ng earlier reported that the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution denouncing the transatlantic slave trade as “the gravest crime against humanity”.
According to BBC, the resolution highlighted the scale, brutality, and enduring consequences of the mass enslavement and trading of Africans, stressing that its legacy continues to shape racialised systems of labour, property, and capital.
The resolution gained overwhelming support from the Global South, with 123 votes in favour. However, the political West, including the United States and Israel, refused to formally condemn the slave trade.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
