EU Policy On The Death Penalty

 

EU Presidency

Embassy of Italy
3000 Whitehaven Street
Washington, DC 20008

The Honorable Sonny Perdue
Governor of Georgia
203 State Capitol
Atlanta, GA 30334 

Dear Governor Perdue,

Please find below a copy of the letter sent to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles communicating an urgent humanitarian appeal on behalf of Mr. James Brown, who has been sentenced to death and is scheduled to be executed on November 4, 2003.

“Further to the letter sent to you on November 12, 2002, during the Danish Presidency of the European Union, Italy, as its current President, together with Ireland, its subsequent President, and the European Commission, would like to convey to you an urgent humanitarian appeal on behalf of Mr. James Brown, who has been sentenced to death and is scheduled to be executed on November 4, 2003.

"As stated in the EU Memorandum on the Death Penalty (http://www.eurunion.org/legislat/deathpenalty/eumemorandum.htm) which has been shared with you, the European Union is opposed to the death penalty in all cases and accordingly aims at its universal abolition, seeking a global moratorium on the death penalty as a first step.

"The European Union considers that in those countries, which have not yet abolished the death penalty, this penalty should not be imposed on persons suffering from a mental disorder. Mr. Brown has a long history of severe mental illness established before the crime. He has been diagnosed with chronic paranoid schizophrenia. His mental illness led to a plea of insanity in the original trial.

"The EU strongly believes that the execution of persons suffering from a mental disorder is contrary to widely accepted human rights norms and in contradiction of the minimum standards of human rights set forth in several international human rights instruments. Among them are United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Resolution 1989/64 of 24 May 1989 on the implementation of the safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty as well as Resolution 2003/67 adopted at the last session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. This resolution specifically urges all states still maintaining the death penalty 'not to impose death penalty on a person suffering from any form of mental disorder or to execute any such person.'

"We therefore respectfully urge you, Mr. Chairman, to take these factors into account and to exercise all the powers vested in your office to grant Mr. Brown relief from the death penalty.”

 We therefore respectfully urge you, Governor Perdue, to take these factors into account and to exercise all the powers vested in your office to assist in Mr. Brown’s case.

Sincerely, 

Sergio Vento Ambassador of Italy

Noel Fahey Ambassador of Ireland

GuenterBurghardt Ambassador, Head of the European Commission Delegation

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Embassy of Italy
3000 Whitehaven Street
Washington, DC 20008
(202) 412-6400 Fax (202) 518-2154
E-mail: stampa@itwash.org
Website:http://www.italyemb.org/