03/05/2103 (Agence Europe) - Catherine Ashton welcomes abolition of death penalty in Maryland. On 2 May, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton “warmly” welcomed the signing, the same day, by the governor of Maryland (USA) of legislation abolishing the death penalty. This makes Maryland the 18th state in the United States to abandon capital punishment. “Strongly” hoping that this decision “will encourage” other US states to follow suit in joining the growing movement towards the abolition of the use of capital punishment, Ashton congratulated Governor Martin O'Malley, the Senate and the House of Delegates of Maryland on “this historic decision”. (CG/transl.fl)