“The EPP Group will strongly oppose the death
penalty, the ultimate breach in human rights”, insisted EPP Group Coordinator in
the European Parliament’s Development Committee, Gay Mitchell MEP. During a
debate in Strasbourg today, ACP delegates at the 27th EU-ACP Joint Parliamentary
Assembly warned that action against Uganda and Nigeria could lead to the end of
cooperation under the Cotonou Agreement. The two countries are under the
spotlight because of the recently-passed controversial laws that punish
homosexuality.
"No EU state may have the death penalty nor accept
severe prison sentences for sexual activities among consenting adults. The EU
does sometimes try to export its culture from Europe to the developing world and
ACP MPs have a point when they claim this. However, in the area of the death
penalty, the EU treats all countries similarly. If, say, New Zealand or Norway
introduced a law like this we would do exactly the same", Gay Mitchell said. "It
is not only alarming that Uganda or Nigeria are passing such laws, what is
alarming is that other ACP countries support such measures. This is unacceptable
and we will not be silent", he concluded.
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