[Deathpenalty]death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

March 4


TURKEY:

Ankara to scrap death penalty in wartime


Turkey said yesterday it would shortly scrap the death penalty in times of
war, bringing it into line with the European Union, which it aspires to
join.

Turkey abolished the death penalty in peacetime in August 2002 as part of
a package of human rights reforms aimed at persuading the EU to open
membership talks.

The talks began last October but are expected to last many years. The
policy will come into effect on June 1.

The EU is strongly opposed to the death penalty, though the US and Japan
still carry out executions. Turkey has executed no one since 1984.

(source: The Guardian)