- The European Union reiterates its longstanding opposition to the death penalty under all circumstances. The European Union has consistently asked for its universal abolition and, as a first step, for the establishment of a moratorium on executions, in line with United Nations General Assembly Resolution on the moratorium on executions of 18 December 2008.

- The European Union’s position is that  the abolition of the death penalty contributes to the enhancement of human dignity and the progressive development of human rights. The European Union views the death penalty as a cruel and inhuman punishment. It provides no added value in terms of deterrence, and any miscarriage of justice, which is inevitable in any legal system, is irreversible.

- The European Union would like to renew its call to refrain from handing down death sentences, and as an initial step, to establish a moratorium on executions.

- The European Union welcomes the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights Resolution calling on State Parties to Observe the Moratorium on the Death Penalty, adopted the 24th November 2008 at its 44th ordinary session held in Abuja FCT.

- The European Union welcomes the Nigerian Government’s National Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in Nigeria, deposited with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on the 24th of July 2009, which states that Nigerian government policy on the right to dignity of human persons seeks, inter alia, to “encourage moratorium on persons on death row”.