The Death Penalty in the OSCE Area Annex 3 Relevant Recommendations Made at the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting in 2008 During the 2008 OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, held in Warsaw from 29 September to 10 October 2008, views were also exchanged on the question of the abolition of the death penalty.78 Working Session 4: Rule of law II addressed the issues of capital punishment, prevention of torture and the protection of human rights in fighting terrorism. The majority of interventions focused on the death penalty and the prevention of torture. Regarding capital punishment, it was acknowledged that the death penalty was considered unacceptable by the large majority of participating States, given the various problems it implies, such as the risk of judicial error, a lack of sufficient legal assistance for suspects in many cases and false confessions. Generally, there was a trend towards abolition of the death penalty in the OSCE area. However, it was still in force in a larger number of states worldwide, including two OSCE participating States. Some states that have not yet abolished the death penalty do not, consequently, support the call for a moratorium. The following oral and written recommendations were made on the abolition of capital punishment: • The death penalty should be abolished; • Those OSCE participating States that have not yet abolished capital punishment should introduce a complete and unlimited moratorium on executions; • OSCE institutions should continue to monitor the situation in those participating States that have not yet fully abolished the death penalty and to elaborate recommendations for measures/programmes leading to complete abolition; • The publication “The Death Penalty in the OSCE Area” shall continue to be distributed, including in Russian translation. 78  “Human Dimension Implementation Meeting Consolidated Summary”, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, 29 September-10 October 2008. 30