The leader of the Mongolian delegation to the Fourth World Congress against the Death Penalty, held on February 24-26 in Geneva, MP E.Bat-Uul, read out a message from President Ts.Elbegdorj that said, “Your encouragement is the strongest support for us in our determination to abolish the death penalty in Mongolia.”

Speaking as the rotating EU President, Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero proposed establishment of an international commission to prohibit death penalty worldwide. More than 140 countries are not executing the death penalty today, compared to 40 only 20 years ago.

European Commission Delegate C.Covanda urged more international pressure on nations such as USA and Japan to stop the practice.