UN adopts landmark decision on global moratorium on executions
- Published on 16/11/2007
AI Secretary General Irene Khan at the demonstration
opposite the High Commission of Pakistan in London. © AI
Today's call for a global moratorium on executions by the UN General Assembly's Third Committee is an "historic resolution and major step towards the abolition of the death penalty worldwide", Amnesty International said.
The landmark decision had cross-regional support and was co-sponsored by 87 states from around the world.
The resolution was adopted by 99 countries in favour, 52 against and 33 abstentions. The General Assembly is expected to endorse the decision in a plenary session in December.
"Amnesty International calls on all countries to establish a moratorium on executions as soon as the General Assembly endorses the resolution later this year," said Irene Khan, Amnesty International's Secretary General.
In 1971 and 1977 the General Assembly adopted two resolutions on capital punishment, saying that it was "desirable" for states to abolish the death penalty.
Today's resolution goes further, calling on states that still maintain the death penalty "to establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty". It urges these states "to respect international standards that provide safeguards guaranteeing the protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty" and "progressively restrict the use of the death penalty and reduce the number of offences for which it may be imposed."
The resolution also requests the UN Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly in 2008 on the implementation of the resolution.
Today's decision - adopted by the UN's highest political body with universal membership - is a clear recognition of the growing international trend towards worldwide abolition of the death penalty, endorsed by the UN Secretary-General," said Irene Khan. "It is a crucial step forward in creating a death penalty free-world - as envisaged by the General Assembly three decades ago."
Although the resolution is not legally binding on states, it carries considerable moral and political weight, as it was adopted by the UN's principal organ in which all UN members participate.
"Establishing a moratorium on executions is an important tool to convince states still using the death penalty to engage in a nationwide debate and to review their laws on capital punishment. If death penalty laws are under review, it is only fair to stop executing people in the meantime," said Irene Khan.
The cross-regional initiative for a global moratorium on executions was led by ten countries: Albania, Angola, Brazil, Croatia, Gabon, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, Portugal (for the EU) and Timor Leste.
Background information
Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases, without exception. The death penalty is the ultimate denial of human rights -- the premeditated and cold-blooded killing of a human being by the state in the name of justice. It violates the right to life as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.
So far, 133 countries have abolished the death penalty in law or practice. Only 25 countries actually carried out executions in 2006. In 2006, 91 percent of all known executions took place in China, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Sudan and the US. Amnesty International's statistics also show an overall decline in the number of executions in 2006 - a recorded 1,591 executions, compared to 2,148 in 2005.
Comments
Comments are submitted by members of the public and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of Amnesty International Australia. If you find a comment objectionable please contact the web editor.
Abolishing the death penalty is a representation of our humanity. How much we respect each other, it represents our intelligence and our human souls.
comment by:
Luke Holmes
28/11/2007
12:29 PM
Australia must also take a principled stance against the death penalty. The Australian Federal Police tipped off the Indonesian authorities that the Bali 9 were allegedly going to smuggle heroin. Australia is not supposed to provide intelligence on Australians when the death penalty is a potential outcome. The support for the execution of the Bali bombers is also saddening. We shouldn’t be outsourcing execution. The death penalty was also a potential outcome of the military commissions that David Hicks faced, and I personally wouldn’t trust the promises of the US Administration that it would not apply to Australians.
I am appalled that executions are still carried out in a so called civilised country, like the USA. Keep up the great work Amnesty.
comment by:
Jennie O'Meara
23/11/2007
04:39 PM
Well done Amnesty, your persistence is getting there. The U.S. is the only Western country that retains State killings so one day we can see this obscene inhumane act abandoned by the world.
comment by:
Peter Kiernan
23/11/2007
01:33 PM
A tremendous decision. As a witness to the last execution in Australia, one can only applaud this historic resolution by the world body to abolish this horrendous practice and urge all member states to implement it immediately.
comment by:
Brian Morley
23/11/2007
01:24 PM
pay attention, world!
this is the future we are hoping for.
a world where no one has to fear legalized murder.
comment by:
concernedddd
22/11/2007
03:16 PM
Wow. This is great news! Nne more step forward in abolishing the cruel punishment worldwide!
comment by:
Niru
22/11/2007
12:44 PM
This is great news. We now must continue to be active to ensure that countries abolish the death penalty for good.
A great step indeed! Let’s hope that countries actually sit up and take notice now!!
This is a great step forward for humanity. We are the only creatures who will kill for reasons other than food and self defence. The death penalty is brutal, and immorral. That’s why people are blindfolded before execution, so that the executioners do not have to look them in the eye as they kill them. That’s why some countries use the lethal injection now, it seems less violent for the people doing the killing. The victim still winds up dead.
It is wrong to kill. End of story.
comment by:
Liz Williams
16/11/2007
03:32 PM
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