Experience has shown, however, that intolerance and racism cannot be eradicated through legislation alone. We must change attitudes, while at the same time combating ignorance and fear. In this effort, governments will have to take the lead. Mr. Chairman, The right to life is the most fundamental of all rights. The death penalty is incompatible with the very concept of human dignity.
Capital punishment is unacceptable and belongs to the past.
Often the death sentence is a result of a legal process that does not meet the basic criteria for a fair trail. We also witness again and again how executions are carried out in inhumane and degrading ways. I call on the Commission to take a firm stand against capital punishment, and urge all states that have not yet done so to abolish this terrible practice. Torture constitutes a gross violation of basic human rights and human dignity. It is not possible to envisage any circumstance where torture would be permissible.