The office of the President of Mongolia, Public Relations & Communications Division

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2012-01-16

France, the European Union and Amnesty International Have Released a Statement Supporting Mongolia’s Abolition of the Death Penalty

After the Mongolian Parliament decided to become a signatory to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty before the new year, France, the European Union and Amnesty International have released a Statement.
In the statement, France acclaimed Mongolia’s Assent to the Second Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty.
In addition, France has expressed its gratitude to President of Mongolia Ts. Elbegdorj for his declaration of a moratorium on all executions in January 2010 and his commitment to abolish the death penalty.
It was noted that France was once declaring the European Union’s and France’s dedication and contribution to abolish the death penalty in all circumstances everywhere around the world.
The law proposing an assent to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights was ratified by the majority of the Parliament members.
“The Mongolian Parliament’s vote today is another vital step forward, and Mongolia should follow up by immediately implementing laws that abolish the death penalty altogether.” said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International Asia-Pacific Director.
“In moving away from the death penalty, Mongolia is setting the standard for other countries in the Asia-Pacific region to follow.”
Amnesty International has campaigned extensively for the abolition of the death penalty in Mongolia.
On 14 January 2010, Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj’s announcement of a moratorium on executions as a first step toward abolition of the death penalty was welcomed internationally.

More than two thirds of all countries in the world have abolished the death penalty in law or in practice.
More people are executed in the Asia-Pacific region than in the rest of the world combined. Fourteen countries in the region still retain the death penalty and have carried out executions in the past 10 years, with China far and away the largest executioner in the world.

Out of 41 countries in the Asia-Pacific, 17 have abolished the death penalty for all crimes, nine are abolitionist in practice and one – Fiji – uses the death penalty only for exceptional military crimes.