A/HRC/18/20 executions in the country, pending consideration of a petition filed by more than 800 deathrow inmates. 50. In November 2010, the Working Group on the Death Penalty in Africa, established by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, reported that it had examined a draft resolution on the abolition of the death penalty. It considered that it was important that the African Commission envisage the adoption of such a resolution to move towards the abolition of the death Penalty.48 Furthermore, the Working Group prepared a document on the question of the death penalty in Africa, indicating that it would update the document to reflect the current situation in Africa and present it to the African Commission in May 2011,49 and envisaged the drafting of a protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the abolition of the death penalty in Africa.50 The Working Group also sent letters of appeal to the relevant authorities on the situation of the death penalty in the Gambia, Nigeria and Sudan.51 The Commissioner of the African Commission reminded States parties to the African Charter that capital punishment was cruel and therefore morally unjustifiable, unnecessary, irreversible, illogical, and represented a most grave violation of fundamental human rights, in particular the right to life under article 4 of the African Charter.52 51. The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the death penalty on 7 October 2010, on the occasion of the World Day against the Death Penalty. In the resolution, the European Parliament reiterated its long-standing opposition to the death penalty in all cases and under all circumstances and emphasized once again that abolition of the death penalty contributes to the enhancement of human dignity and the progressive development of human rights (para. 1). It urged the European Union to use all tools of diplomacy and cooperation assistance available to it to work towards the universal abolition of the death penalty (para. 3). 52. In July 2010, the European Union convened an annual forum of European institutions and NGOs in Brussels, at which participants discussed four issues, including European Union instruments in the fight against the death penalty. Participants affirmed that the global abolition of the death penalty ranks among the main objectives of European Union human rights policy.53 On 10 October 2010, the European Union issued a statement to mark the World and European Day against the Death Penalty, reiterating that the death penalty is a cruel and inhuman punishment that represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity. The statement also recalled that the European Union uses all available means – including diplomatic channels and raising public awareness – in working towards the goal of abolishing the death penalty throughout the world, and that it encourages public 48 49 50 51 52 53 14 Progress report of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Working Group on the Death Penalty in Africa, November 2010, para. 18. Ibid., para. 16. Ibid., para. 18. Combined activity report of the Commissioner of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Chairperson of the Working Group on the Death Penalty in Africa, 49th ordinary session of the Commission, 28 April-12 May 2011, Banjul, Gambia. Ibid., para. 14. Recommendations of the forum on the theme of “EU human rights instruments and the Lisbon Treaty: state of play and way forward”, held on 12 and 13 July 2010, Brussels, p. 1. Available from http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2009_2014/documents/droi/dv/201/201009/20100913_ngof orumrecomms_en.pdf.