15 Oct 2013

PNG objects to EU criticising death penalty

4:42 pm on 15 October 2013

The Papua New Guinea government has strongly objected to comments by the European Union about the death penalty in PNG.

The Attorney General and Justice Minister, Kerenga Kua, has condemned diplomats from the EU, Britain and France for criticising the government's new policy.

The ambassadors Martin Dihm and Pascal Maubert of the EU and France and Britain's High Commissioner Jackie Barson say re-introducing the death penalty as a measure to curb crime in PNG is a disturbing development and one that has been discussed at length in their own countries.

In response, Mr Kua called on the foreign diplomats not to implicitly threaten and intimidate PNG in the way it should be designing its social development agenda.