The Death Penalty in the OSCE Area de facto abolition of the death penalty in Europe and reiterating their commitment to continue working towards universal abolition.27 On 25 March 2014, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights held a hearing on the human rights situation and the death penalty in the Americas. At this hearing, participants noted the lack of observance by some Member States of precautionary measures, including those dealing with death penalty cases, and stressed the need to identify and implement new strategies and proactive measures in addressing the death penalty in the region.28 Participants called on the United States, one of the few Member States of the Organization of American States to carry out executions, to address a number of issues with regards to the implementation of the death penalty, including the violation of the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.29 27  “Joint Declaration by Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, and Catherine Ashton, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on the European and World Day against the Death Penalty”, Brussels, 10 October 2013, <http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/ en/cfsp/138947.pdf>. 28  “Human Rights Situation and the Death Penalty in the Americas”, Organization of American States, 25 March 2014, <http://www.oas.org/es/cidh/audiencias/TopicsList.aspx?Lang=en&Topic=47>. 29  “Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Focuses on the Death Penalty”, National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, 28 March 2014, <http://www.ncadp.org/blog/entry/inter-american-commission-on-human-rightsfocuses-on-the-death-penalty>. 11