23 June 2004 :

The European Union (EU) handed over to India a demarche asking it to think about abolishing capital punishment as the nation discussed the possible hanging of Dhananjoy Chatterjee a man convicted of the rape and murder of a teenager. The demarche to the Indian government came through Irish authorities, who held the presidency of the EU.
The demarche asked the Indian government to place before the country's president the EU's opinion on capital punishment, Andrew Hall, British deputy high commissioner in Calcutta, said.
"Capital punishment has been done away with in the European community and we hope to convince India to do the same," Hall said.