CHINA SHOULD END DEATH PENALTY BEFORE OLYMPICS

6.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 10th Oct 2007

Local Euro MP Liz Lynne has backed a call by the Rights group Human Rights Watch for China to hold a moratorium on the death penalty before the 2008 Olympic Games.

China is estimated to execute more than all other countries combined, estimated at around 7500 per year, although exact numbers are not known as these statistics are classified as state secrets.

Speaking on World Day Against the Death Penalty, Liz, who is a Member of the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights said:

"With the Olympics just a few months away China is coming under increasing scrutiny for its human rights record. This is an excellent opportunity for the Chinese authorities to demonstrate their maturity and respect for human life by suspending the death penalty.

"Since new legal procedures introduced earlier this year have apparently placed certain safeguards on death sentences, the number of executions has reportedly declined, so this can be taken as a small step in the right direction, although it clearly does not go far enough.

"Let us also hope that this new level of interest in China also persuades the authorities to exert more influence on Burma, after the deaths and arrests during the crackdown on the recent anti-government protests."

ENDS