The Council of Europe urges nations across the globe to abolish the death penalty as the organization celebrates Death Penalty Abolition Day Saturday.

The council's secretary general, Walter Schwimmer, says the death penalty is arbitrary, discriminatory and irreversible.

Two years ago, the Parliamentary Assembly urged the United States and Japan to institute a moratorium on executions and to improve prison conditions. The council threatened to revoke the observer status of the two countries if there was no significant progress by January 1, 2003. A debate on this issue is scheduled for the Parliamentary Assembly's June session.

Email this article to a friend.
Printer Friendly Version