On 26 September 2007 the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe decided to hold the ‘European Day against the Death Penalty’ every year on 10 October. However, the Day is not an official EU holiday. An international conference against the death penalty was held on Tuesday 9 October in Lisbon (Portugal) by the Council of Europe, the Portuguese presidency of the European Union and the European Commission. (11-OCT-07)

Written by Agnieszka Chmielecka/ HRH Warsaw
Photos by Lukasz Kraszynski/ HFHR

In Lisbon, Secretary General of the Council of Europe – Terry Davis said: “The abolition of the death penalty in Europe is far too important to be taken for granted. (…) We need to go out and explain to people why the death penalty is wrong, why it has been abolished, and why it should stay abolished. The European Day against the Death Penalty provides an opportunity to do so.”

bortnowska_newFollowing the words of Terry Davis
Following the words of Terry Davis, supporters of the European Day against the Death Penalty used this opportunity and organized various types of campaigns and happenings in Warsaw and several other Polish cities. The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, with Halina Bortnowska (right) playing the leading role as the originator, prepared an installation that was staged throughout the entire day of 10th October in front of the main office of the Representative of the European Commission in Poland. The campaign’s aim was to express part of the Polish society’s solidarity with the idea of opposing the death penalty.

10XbAnyone could sign the letter sent to the authorities of the European Union and Council of Europe. More than 500 signatures were collected. So far, over 1200 people have signed the letter on Halina Bortnowska’s blog (www.halinabortnowska.blox.pl) and its author has pledged that “the signatures will continue to be collected. We don’t know how long. This will depend solely and exclusively on interest for the idea”.