On Human Rights Day, the European Union welcomes the abolition of the death penalty in Equatorial Guinea, following the entry into force of the new Criminal Code earlier this week.

With this historic step, Equatorial Guinea joins the majority of countries in the world that have eliminated the capital punishment. This abolition reflects the growing trend around the world to abandon this type of punishment.

The European Union encourages Equatorial Guinea to complete this important achievement by excluding capital punishment from its Military Justice Code as well.

The death penalty is a cruel and inhuman punishment, representing an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity. It fails to act as a deterrent to crime and it makes any miscarriage of justice irreversible.

The European Union strongly opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and will continue to work for its abolition in the few remaining countries that still apply it.