Swiss seek worldwide ban on the death penalty

A field of empty chairs commemorates the 168 people killed in the Oklahoma bombing Keystone

Switzerland is participating in the first world congress aimed at outlawing the death penalty. The three-day meeting at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, comes in the wake of the United States' execution of the Oklahoma bomber, Timothy McVeigh.

A Swiss foreign ministry delegation joined 18 heads of state from Europe, Asia, South America and Africa, plus innocent people who were once condemned to death, at the congress which has been organised by the campaign group “Together Against the Death Penalty”.

According to the human rights organisation, Amnesty International, at least 1,457 prisoners were executed in 28 countries last year, while 3,058 were sentenced to death in 65 countries.

Georg Steiner, a human rights specialist at the Swiss foreign ministry, said he hoped the first world congress against the death penalty would encourage dialogue and produce new strategies which might lead to the eventual abolition of capital punishment worldwide.

“Switzerland is absolutely convinced that human dignity has to be at the centre of its policy, and fighting against the death penalty is a good and important step towards this,” he said.

“That’s why opposing the death penalty is an integral part of Switzerland’s international human rights policy both at multilateral and bilateral levels.”

Abolished the death penalty

According to Amnesty International, only 75 countries, including Switzerland, have abolished the death penalty. Capital punishment is still carried out in 86 countries, including Japan and the United States, which both have Council of Europe observer status.

The Americans, who re-introduced the death penalty in 1976, have already carried out 33 executions since the start of this year, says Amnesty.

Steiner stressed that it was impossible to say how much effect outside pressure would have on those countries still practising the death penalty. But he insisted it was extremely important for countries to get together to exchange ideas.

“At the current stage it’s more important for us that countries install moratoriums and try to ensure that the death penalty is not executed any more. At the same time we would of course welcome any development that would outlaw the death penalty.

“I think there are encouraging signs in many countries which indicate that there is a certain discussion going on and that more and more people, as well as countries, do actually realise that there are better ways to punish people for crimes they have committed.”

swissinfo with agencies