DHAKA: The European Union in a statement on Thursday, once again, reiterated their position against death penalty and asked the Bangladesh government to stay all pending executions.

The statement said, “We are closely following judicial proceedings in Bangladesh. The European Union reiterates its strong and absolute opposition to capital punishment in all cases and under all circumstances.”

It also said: “We consider the death penalty to be a cruel and inhumane punishment, which is not a deterrent to criminal behaviour and which represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity.”

The European Union “calls on the Bangladeshi authorities to stay all pending executions, and establish a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, as a first step towards its abolition” as with capital punishment any miscarriage of justice is irreversible.

BDST: 1513 HRS, NOV 06, 2014