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Press release - 672(2007)

France abolishes the death penalty in all circumstances

Strasbourg, 10.10.2007 - France has today ratified Protocol 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibits the use of the death penalty in all circumstances.

Ambassador Bruno Gain, the French Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe, completed the formal ratification process on the first European Day against the Death Penalty (10 October), organised by the Council of Europe.

France is the 40th of the Council of Europe's 47 member states to ratify Protocol 13, which entered into force on 1 July 2003.

Yesterday, at an international conference against the death penalty organised by the Council of Europe, the Portuguese presidency of the European Union and the European Commission, Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis said:

"The abolition of the death penalty in Europe is the pinnacle of our progress in the defence of human dignity and human rights. The European Day against the Death Penalty will help us to make progress towards the day, in a not too distant future, when the death penalty will be eradicated throughout the world."

Special file on death penalty

Link to the European Convention on Human Rights website

Council of Europe Press Division

Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 60

Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 39 11

pressunit@coe.int

www.coe.int/press