High-ranking officials from the EU are to challenge all countries still employing the death penalty, including the US, to fall in line with the rest of the world.
Former Taoiseach and current EU Ambassador to the US John Bruton will state that the use of capital punishment represents an 'unacceptable denial of human dignity'.
Renewing the EU's opposition, Mr Bruton is expected to say that the European block 'considers capital punishment to be cruel and inhumane' adding that 'it also fails to deter criminal behaviour and represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity'.
'Miscarriages of justice are inevitable in any legal system - and any miscarriage of justice that results in the death penalty is irreversible.'
He will be joined at the briefing by Jonas Hafstrom, the Swedish ambassador to the US. Sweden currently holds the EU presidency.
Mr Hafstrom will note: 'The death penalty is being progressively abolished worldwide, and at an accelerating pace. 139 countries have now abolished the death penalty in practice or in law, and although 58 countries still retain it, the number of countries where executions are actually carried out is much smaller.
'Last year 93% of all known executions took place in just five countries - China, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the US.'
