EU calls on Uganda to abolish death penalty
On October 11th, 2021, the Head of the European Union Delegation to Uganda, H.E Ambassador Attilio Pacifici delivered a keynote address at a commemorative event to mark the 19th World Day Against the death penalty in Uganda under the theme: Women and the death penalty, an invisible reality.
The event, held at the Penal Reform International offices in Muyenga, Kampala, saw the official launch of findings of a research titled; Women who kill in the context of domestic violence in Uganda: How does the criminal justice respond?”
In his address, Ambassador Pacifici pointed out the strong and unequivocal position the European Union holds against the death penalty at a global level, and stated that the EU is convinced that the abolition of the death penalty “contributes to the enhancement of human dignity and the progressive development of human rights.” Ambassador Pacifici praised Ugandan authorities, including the government, parliament and the judiciary for their efforts towards the abolition of death penalty. “Uganda still has the death penalty but the last civilian executions occurred in 1999 while the last military execution was in 2005. Uganda’s leadership must be praised for this de facto moratorium,” he said.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the discussion was held in front of a small group of in-person participants. These included; H.E. Karin Boven, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Uganda, Mr. Jean-François, first counsellor, French Embassy, Penal Reform International staff, His Lordship Hon. Justice David Batema, Justice of the High Court of Uganda, honourable Members of Parliament, the chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission, the Commissioner General of Uganda Prisons Service, members of civil society organisations, researchers and journalists.
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