Re-instatement of Death Penalty across the EU

I blogged about the inclusion of the death penalty in the Lisbon Treaty about a year ago with all applicable references, linked here. A discussion over the pension to be received by the resigning Police Officer Bob Quick, former head of the anti-terror unit has strangely brought the matter of the death penalty in the online edition of the Daily Express, which I quote in full below but other comments are linked here.

MARTIAL LAW IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LISBON TREATY !

10.04.09, 6:35pm

Subject: Death penalty re-instated - eg if we riot against the EU?! On 20th Feb 2008 a caucus meeting was held at the German Parliament in Munich to discuss the Lisbon Treaty. [the European Union reform treaty, a.k.a. the Lisbon Treaty rejected by the voters of Ireland and before that rejected by the voters of France and Netherlands as the EU Constitution] At this meeting a previously unmentioned paragraph was brought to light by Professor Schachtschneider, Humanities Faculty - University of Nuremberg. Professor Schachtschneider, explained that the undisclosed paragraph means on ratification of the Lisbon Treaty the DEATH PENALTY will be reintroduced to Europe. The Death Penalty will be applicable for the crimes of RIOTING, CIVIL UPHEAVAL and DURING WAR. Professor Schachtschneider made the point that this clause is particularly outrageous as it had been cleverly hidden in a footnote of a footnote and would not have been detected by anyone other than an exceptional expert reader. It is not in the treaty itself, but in a footnote, because with the European Union reform treaty, we accept also the European Union Charter, which says that there is no death penalty, and then it also has a footnote, which says, “except in the case of war, riots, upheaval” !! When we are not at war, who will define riot and upheaval? Will a riot against membership of the EU now result in execution? Even if you favour the death penalty the voters of the UK should be given a referendum on this treaty / constitution. Did New Labour mention this ? ...No... because they claim to have never read the Treaty... fools.

• Posted by: JonO •