EU calls on President to back down from Capital Punishment

Colombo (News1st) : The EU and a number of other counties have issued a joint statement highlighting their concern regarding Sri Lanka's decision to implement the death penalty. The Joint statement has been issued by the Delegation of the EU in Sri Lanka, the High Commissions of UK and Canada and the Embassies of France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Romania and Norway. According to the statement the countries mentioned above "unequivocally oppose capital punishment in all circumstances and in all cases." The statement goes on to claim that the death penalty is incompatible with human dignity and does not have any proven deterrent effect. It also stated that the penalty allows judicial errors to become fatal and irreversible. The foreign delegations note that they have written to President Maithripala Sirisena adding that they call on the President to maintain the moratorium on the implementation of the death penalty and uphold Sri Lanka's tradition of opposing capital punishment

The @EU_in_Sri_Lanka, EU Member State missions as well as the diplomatic missions of Canada & Norway have written to H.E. President Sirisena making known that they strongly and unequivocally oppose capital punishment in all circumstances and in all cases. #SriLanka pic.twitter.com/EpgXqkDRp7

— EU in Sri Lanka (@EU_in_Sri_Lanka) July 16, 2018