Brussels, 24/04/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 23 April, European Council President Donald Tusk and High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini reiterated the opposition of the European Union to the death penalty. Indonesia gave the order the same day to prepare the execution of ten people - including Serge Atlaoui - sentenced to death for drugs trafficking.
“The European Union is totally opposed to the death penalty. This cannot be a response to drugs trafficking”, Tusk said, at the end of the extraordinary summit on migration. “I'm talking about Mr Atlaoui, the French citizen who has been sentenced by the Indonesian authorities”, he added.
“Although we recognise the fact that Indonesia must address a growing drugs problem, experience in other countries shows strongly that capital punishment is not the right answer”, Mogherini stated. “The EU is ready to assess the means to support Indonesia's efforts in the fight against drugs and we are ready to increase cooperation with Indonesia in this area”, she added. Mogherini criticised the “regrettable” outlook of the new executions and reiterated the “strong” and “principled” position of the EU “against the death penalty in all cases and in all circumstances”.
France's President François Hollande said that he had spoken about this issue at the European Council.
According to a diplomatic source, the EU has sent a letter to the Indonesian government.
On Monday 20 April, Serge Atlaoui's family called on the EU and on Hollande to do all they could to save Serge Atlaoui. Imprisoned for ten years, Atlaoui says that he had only set up industrial machines in what he believed to be an acrylic factory, but which was in reality an illegal ecstasy factory. (Camille-Cerise Gessant)