Strengthening the abolitionist movement: launch of the Global Consortium for Death Penalty Abolition

The European Union is committed to working together with civil society to achieve a world without death penalty, a long-standing EU policy priority. The EU objects to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances and in all cases, because it is an affront to human dignity, because it does not work to reduce crime or act as a deterrent, because it does not effectively combat terrorism, and because it is irreversible. 

Launched today, the EU-funded Global Consortium for Death Penalty Abolition aims to increase the influence of the movement and to expand the abolitionist ecosystem globally. Led by the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, this civil society-led initiative brings together 25 abolitionist organisations, including regional networks, grassroots organisations and international NGOs. 

The partnership is one of the EU’s pledges at the Human Rights 75 High Level Event in December 2023. It pools together resources and efforts to implement the EU Guidelines on death penalty and contribute to the goal to abolish death penalty worldwide within our lifetimes.