European Union Reacts To Soldiers Death Sentence

Original Post By Vincent Ehiabhi, www.naij.com

The European Union (EU) has finally reacted to the death sentence handed 12 Nigerian soldiers by a military tribunal over charges of mutiny. 

The reaction was contained in a statement issued by European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on the European, Mr. Thorbjørn Jagland, who condemned the recent tribunal judgment, a copy obtained by the Nation.

READ ALSO: Soldiers Fear Boko Haram’s Armory, Demand Better Weapons

The EU made the condemnation against the backdrop of the occasion marking the World Day against Death Penalty, held on Thursday, where it expressed the region’s concern on the verdict.

Some of the soldiers during their trial at the military tribunal

The European Union in the statement revealed that no execution has taken place in its member states in the last 17 years. It stressed that on the European and World Day against the Death Penalty, the European Union and the Council of Europe always reiterate their strong and absolute opposition against capital punishment in all cases and under all circumstances, as well as its commitment to work towards death sentence abolition worldwide.

READ ALSO: Funmi Iyanda Reacts To Death Sentence Of 12 Soldiers“We are deeply concerned about setbacks in some countries, such as recent mass trials leading to a vast number of death sentences, the extension in domestic legislation of the scope of the death penalty’s use, or the resumption of executions after a period of several years.

“No execution has taken place in our member states in the last 17 years. The European Union and the Council of Europe welcome the fact that all Member States of the European Union have now ratified both Protocols 6 and 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights, and urge all other European States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify these instruments which aim at the abolition of the death penalty,” the statement reads.

The soldiers during their first trial

It would be recalled that some soldiers of the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army have reportedly mutinied in their barracks against the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Major General Abubakar Mohammed.

In response to the reported mutiny, DHQ Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, revealed that Nigerian Army is facing physical, financial and moral hardships in the operation against Boko Haram insurgents in the North East.

But later, a military tribunal was set up to trial the erring soldiers whom were eventuallyconvicted of mutiny on September 16, 2014, and sentenced to death by firing squad.

Meanwhile, the soldiers predicament have generated a lot of reactions from concerned Nigerians and groups.  Recently, a former senate president, who is also a renowned lawyer Ameh Ebute, filed an appeal to stop the execution of six of the 12 soldiers sentenced to death.He also filed a motion for a stay of execution of the condemned soldiers at the Appeal Court in Abuja. Even the Nigerian Senate refused the plea to spare the lives of the 12 Nigerian Army soldiers who were sentenced to death for mutiny base on some reasons.

Also, on October 3, 2014, the Nigerian military tribunal also set up a General Court Martial to try 97 personnel for various offences allegedly committed in the ongoing counter-terrorism operation in the North-Eastern part of the country. Those on trial include four Lieutenant Colonels, a major, four captains, five Lieutenants and one 2nd Lieutenant.