Brussels, 16 November 2022
The EU expresses its regret over the execution of seven individuals in Kuwait today. This is the largest application of the death penalty since 2017. It represents a worrying increase in the trend of using the capital punishment in the State of Kuwait.
The executions coincided with the visit of Vice-President of the European Commission Margaritis Schinas in the country, who raised EU’s concerns in this regard in his meetings with the Kuwaiti counterparts.
Human rights issues are at the core of EU’s internal and external relations, directly affecting all our policies. EU will continue to raise its concerns in this regard with Kuwait at all levels, starting with the human rights dialogue foreseen for next week between the EU and Kuwait. The EEAS is summoning the Ambassador of Kuwait to the EU in this context.
The EU calls for a halt to executions and for a complete de facto moratorium on carrying out death penalty, as a first step towards a formal and full abolition of the death penalty in Kuwait.
As a matter of principle, the European Union is strongly opposed to the death penalty under all circumstances. It is a cruel and inhumane punishment, which fails to act as a deterrent to crime and represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity.
The European Union will continue to work for the abolition of the death penalty in the few remaining countries that still apply it.
Source – EEAS