The European Union has expressed regret over the latest executions of five people in Kuwait and voiced concern over the increased use of capital punishment in the country over the past two years. In a statement issued on 24 June 2026 by the EEAS Spokesperson, the EU reiterated its strong opposition to the death penalty in all cases and under all circumstances, calling it a cruel and inhumane punishment incompatible with the right to life and human dignity. The statement also argued that capital punishment fails to deter crime and represents an unacceptable denial of fundamental rights.
The EU said it will continue working for the abolition of the death penalty in the few remaining countries that still apply it. The statement did not specify the identities of the executed individuals or the crimes for which they were sentenced. Kuwait is among a small number of countries worldwide that carry out executions, and the EU has previously raised concerns about its use of capital punishment. The latest executions mark a continuation of a trend that the EU has repeatedly condemned, though no prior coverage of this specific file exists in the available record. The EU's position on the death penalty is a longstanding element of its human rights policy, and the statement serves as a diplomatic rebuke without imposing any concrete measures or sanctions against Kuwait.