European Parliament Calls For Moratorium On Death Penalty

European Union lawmakers today called for countries around the world to place an immediate moratorium on the death penalty.

In a resolution, members of the European Parliament said the abolition of the death penalty "contributed to the enhancement of human dignity."

Lawmakers from the 27-member bloc also said the death penalty, which is banned in Europe, was a "a cruel and inhuman punishment" with no deterring effect.

The resolution calls on Germany, the current EU president, to push for a UN resolution banning the death penalty.

On a visit to the EU's headquarters on January 24, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was "encouraging the trend to phase out the death penalty."

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