Why do we oppose the death penalty?

• Because every human being has the inherent right to life. This right was not given to men by any government and no government may take it away. Instead, all governments should respect and protect the human right to life. By killing a person, the murderer does not forfeit his own right to life, just as a thief does not forfeit his right to own property.
  
  

• Because there is always a possibility of judicial error, leading to the execution of an innocent person. As long as capital punishment exists, an innocent person may be sentenced to death and executed. An injustice of this magnitude must be prevented, and the only way to do this is to abolish capital punishment so that no one – innocent or guilty – can be sentenced to death.

  
  

• Because capital punishment does not prevent crime. The belief that application of the death penalty deters crime is ill founded. Crime rates in retentionist countries are not any lower than those in the abolitionist countries. Abolition of capital punishment in individual countries did not lead to an increase in capital offences, while its reintroduction in abolitionist countries did not decrease crime rates.

• Because the death penalty is an inhuman and degrading punishment. In our part of the world, the law – both international and municipal – prohibits the use of inhuman and degrading punishments, including the capital punishment. This applies to all 47 members states of the Council of Europe, including Serbia.

That is why we oppose the death penalty. What about you?