TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The EU, Australia, and Canada joined human rights groups to call for the abolition of the death penalty after Taiwan carried out its first execution in almost five years on Thursday.

Huang Lin-kai (黃麟凱) was executed by firing squad in Taipei yesterday for a double murder and sexual assault he committed in 2013. He was sentenced to death in 2017 and an appeal against the decision was dismissed by the Supreme Court in the same year.

A spokesperson for the EU’s Diplomatic Service issued a statement on Thursday condemning the crimes and expressing sympathy to the family of the victims. “At the same time, the EU recalls its opposition to capital punishment in all cases and all circumstances.”

The spokesperson said the death penalty is an “inhumane and degrading punishment” and noted that it does little to deter crime. The EU calls on Taiwan to place a moratorium on the use of the death penalty and work towards abolition, the spokesperson said.

A post on the EU representative office’s Facebook page carrying the statement received numerous replies supporting the execution. Many also suggested the EU should not comment on Taiwan’s internal affairs.

Canada’s representative office in Taiwan also posted a statement expressing sympathy for the victims’ family and condemning the use of the death penalty. “Canada's policy is to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances and to advocate for its global abolition,” the post read.

The post added there is a growing international consensus against the use of the death penalty and also called on Taiwan to instate a moratorium on it. “It has also been shown to have no deterrent effect and may lead to irreparable misjudgments,” the post read.

The Australian Office in Taipei issued a similar statement. “We call on Taiwan to cease all executions and take steps towards complete abolition of the death penalty,” the office wrote in a Facebook post.

A joint statement issued by the Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty and other human rights groups called the execution unlawful and “bloodthirsty.” The statement asked the justice minister to cease all executions until the chief prosecutor has had adequate time to review all death row inmates' appeals against the sentence.

A Facebook post containing the joint statement also received many comments supporting the death penalty.