French church leaders urge world's Christians to oppose death penalty

Published: 2006-10-19

OXFORD, England (CNS) -- French church leaders urged Christians worldwide to oppose capital punishment, and they criticized governments for using "the pretext of a struggle against terrorism" to frighten their populations. "France abolished the death penalty 25 years ago, and this decision has never been questioned," leaders of the Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox churches said in a joint statement. "In a troubled and divided world, where capital executions are still practiced on a mass scale, it is more important than ever that Christians unite in a single denunciation, calm but firm, of this punishment that contravenes hope in the reception of divine mercy," the leaders said. The statement was published in French newspapers to mark the Oct. 10 World Day Against the Death Penalty, sponsored by Amnesty International and other legal and human rights groups.

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