Brussels, 10/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - On the occasion of World Anti Death Penalty Day on Friday 10 October, a joint declaration against the death penalty was signed by all of the institutions of the EU and by the Council of Europe. The declaration confirms the commitment of the European institutions to continue to work towards the universal abolition of capital punishment. "The EU has created a de facto death penalty-free zone stretching from Iceland in the west to Vladivostok in the east and from Norway in the north to the southeast of Turkey - this is one of Europe's greatest achievements", said Jacques Barrot, European Commissioner for Justice, Liberty and Security, in a press release. "Nevertheless, public debate within our societies demonstrates the need to reiterate, time and time again, that the abolition of the death penalty is an essential achievement for the respect of human dignity. This is the reason the European Commission works side-by-side with NGOs that are active in this field and supports abolitionist actions", Mr Barrot added. The Commission repeats that the death penalty constitutes a violation of the most fundamental human right: the right to life. The abolition of the death penalty is one of the key provisions of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which stipulates that "no one shall be condemned to the death penalty or executed" in the Union. Two-thirds of the countries of the world have abolished capital punishment in their legislation or in practice. In 2007, 1252 people were executed in 24 countries. Nine out of 10 executions take place in five countries (China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the United States). (B.C./trans.fl)