Resolutions concerning death penalty at the United Nations

At Italy's instigation, a resolution for a moratorium on the death penalty was presented by the European Union in partnership with eight co-author member States to the General Assembly of the United Nations, calling for general suspension (not abolition) of capital punishment throughout the world. It was approved on 15 November 2007 by the Third Committee, and then subsequently adopted on 18 December by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 62/149. New Zealand played a central role facilitating agreement between the co-author group and other supporters.

UN General Assembly
Resolution 62/149
  In favour
  Against
  Abstained
Date18 December 2007
Meeting no.76
CodeA/RES/62/149 (Document)
SubjectMoratorium on the use of the death penalty
Voting summary
  • 104 voted for
  • 54 voted against
  • 29 abstained
ResultApproved
UN General Assembly
Resolution 63/168
Date18 December 2008
Meeting no.70
CodeA/RES/63/168 (Document)
SubjectMoratorium on the use of the death penalty
Voting summary
  • 106 voted for
  • 46 voted against
  • 34 abstained
ResultApproved
UN General Assembly
Resolution 65/206
Date21 December 2010
Meeting no.71
CodeA/RES/65/206 (Document)
SubjectMoratorium on the use of the death penalty
Voting summary
  • 109 voted for
  • 41 voted against
  • 35 abstained
ResultApproved

It calls on States that maintain the death penalty to establish a moratorium on the use of the death penalty with a view to abolition, and in the meantime, to restrict the number of offences which it punishes and to respect the rights of those on death row. It also calls on States that have abolished the death penalty not to reintroduce it. Like all General Assembly resolutions, it is not binding on any state.

On 18 December 2007, the United Nations General Assembly voted 104 to 54 in favour of resolution A/RES/62/149, which proclaims a global moratorium on the death penalty, with 29 abstentions (as well as 5 absent at the time of the vote).[1] Italy had proposed and sponsored this resolution. After the resolution's approval, Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema declared: "Now we must start working on the abolition of the death penalty".[2]

On 18 December 2008, the General Assembly adopted another resolution (A/RES/63/168) reaffirming its previous call for a global moratorium on capital punishment 106 to 46 (with 34 abstentions and another 6 were absent at the time of the vote). Working in partnership with the EU, New Zealand and Mexico were co-facilitators of the draft text which was developed over a period of six months, which Chile then presented to the UN General Assembly on behalf of cosponsors.

On 21 December 2010, the 65th General Assembly adopted a third resolution (A/RES/65/206) with 109 countries voting in favour, 41 against and 35 abstentions (another seven countries were absent at the time of the vote).[3]

On 20 December 2012, the 67th General Assembly adopted a fourth resolution (A/RES/67/176) with 111 countries voting in favour, 41 against and 34 abstentions (another seven countries were absent).[4]

On 18 December 2014, the 69th General Assembly adopted a fifth resolution (A/RES/69/186) with 117 countries voting in favour, 38 against and 34 abstentions (another four countries were absent).[5]

On 19 December 2016, the 71st General Assembly adopted a sixth resolution (A/RES/71/187) with 117 countries voting in favour, 40 against and 31 abstentions (another five countries were absent).[6]

On 16 December 2018, 121 voted in favour of the 7th resolution, 35 against, and 32 abstained.[7]

On 16 December 2020, 123 voted in favour of the 8th resolution, 38 against, and 24 abstained.[8]

On 15 December 2022, 125 voted in favour of the 9th resolution, 37 against, 22 abstained, and 9 absent.[9]

International campaign

edit

Hands Off Cain

edit
 
Logo of the organisation "Hands Off Cain"

The UN moratorium campaign was launched in Italy by the association Hands Off Cain, affiliated to the Nonviolent Radical Party.[10] The association against death penalty and torture was founded in Rome in 1993 by former left-wing terrorist and current nonviolent politician and human rights activist Sergio D'Elia, with his first wife Mariateresa Di Lascia and Italian Radicals' liberal leaders Marco Pannella and Emma Bonino (former European Commissioner).

History

edit

In 1994, a resolution for a moratorium was presented for the first time at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) by the Italian government. It lost by eight votes. Since 1997, through Italy's initiative, and since 1999 through the EU's endeavour, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) has been approving a resolution calling for a moratorium on executions with a view to completely abolishing the death penalty, every year. The 2007 vote at the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly saw intense diplomatic activity in favour of the moratorium by EU countries, and by the Nonviolent Radical Party itself; the Catholic Community of Sant'Egidio joined forces by submitting to the U.N. an appeal and 5,000,000 signatures asking for the moratorium to be passed.[citation needed].

Full text of resolution 62/149

edit

The General Assembly,

Guided by the purposes and principles contained in the Charter of the United Nations,

Recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,[a] the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights[b] and the Convention on the Rights of the Child,[c]

Recalling also the resolutions on the question of the death penalty adopted over the past decade by the Commission on Human Rights in all consecutive sessions, the last being its resolution 2005/59 of 20 April 2005,[d] in which the Commission called upon states that still maintain the death penalty to abolish it completely and, in the meantime, to establish a moratorium on executions,

Recalling further the important results accomplished by the former Commission of Human Rights on the question of the death penalty, and envisaging that the Human Rights Council could continue to work on this issue,

Considering that the use of the death penalty undermines human dignity, and convinced that a moratorium on the use of the death penalty contributes to the enhancement and progressive development of Human Rights, that there is no conclusive evidence that the death penalty's deterrent value and that any miscarriage or failure of justice in the death penalty's implementation is irreversible and irreparable,

Welcoming the decisions taken by an increasing number of States to apply a moratorium on executions, followed in many cases by the abolition of the death penalty,

  1. Expresses its deep concern about the continued application of the death penalty;
  2. Calls upon all States that still maintain the death penalty to:
    1. Respect international standards that provide safeguards guaranteeing the protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty, in particular the minimum standards, as set out in the annexe to Economic and Social Council resolution 1984/50 of 25 May 1984;
    2. Provide the Secretary-General with information relating to the use of Capital Punishment and the observance of the safeguards guaranteeing the protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty;
    3. Progressively restrict the use of the death penalty and reduce the number of offences for which it may be imposed;
    4. Establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty;
  3. Calls upon States which have abolished the death penalty not to reintroduce it;
  4. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its sixty-third session on the implementation of the present resolution;
  5. Decides to continue consideration of the matter at its sixty-third session under the same agenda item.
  1. ^ Resolution 217 A (III).
  2. ^ Resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.
  3. ^ United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1577, No. 27531.
  4. ^ Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2005, Supplement No. 3 and corrigenda (E/2005/23 and Corr.1 and 2), chap. II, sect. A.

Full text of resolution 63/168

edit

The General Assembly,

Reaffirming its resolution 62/149 of 18 December 2007 on a moratorium on the use of the death penalty,

Welcoming the decisions taken by an increasing number of States to apply a moratorium on executions and the global trend towards the abolition of the death penalty,

  1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of resolution 62/149,[a] and the conclusions and recommendations contained therein;
  2. Requests the Secretary-General to provide a report on progress made in the implementation of resolution 62/149 and the present resolution, for consideration during its sixty-fifth session, and calls upon Member States to provide the Secretary-General with information in this regard;
  3. Decides to continue consideration of the matter at its sixty-fifth session under the item entitled "Promotion and protection of human rights".
  1. ^ A/63/293 and Corr. 1.

Full text of resolution 65/206

edit

The General Assembly,

Guided by the purposes and principles contained in the Charter of the United Nations,

Recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,[a] the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights[b] and the Convention on the Rights of the Child,[c]

Reaffirming its resolutions 62/149 of 18 December 2007 and 63/168 of 18 December 2008 on the question of a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, in which the General Assembly called upon States that still maintain the death penalty to establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing it,

Mindful that any miscarriage or failure of justice in the implementation of the death penalty is irreversible and irreparable,

Convinced that a moratorium on the use of the death penalty contributes to respect for human dignity and to the enhancement and progressive development of human rights, and considering that there is no conclusive evidence of the deterrent value of the death penalty,

Noting ongoing national debates and regional initiatives on the death penalty, as well as the readiness of an increasing number of Member States to make available information on the use of the death penalty,

Noting also the technical cooperation among Member States in relation to moratoriums on the death penalty,

  1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of resolution 63/168[d] and the recommendations contained therein;
  2. Also welcomes the steps taken by some countries to reduce the number of offences for which the death penalty may be imposed and the decisions made by an increasing number of States to apply a moratorium on executions, followed in many cases by the abolition of the death penalty;
  3. Calls upon all States:
    1. To respect international standards that provide safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty, in particular the minimum standards, as set out in the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1984/50 of 25 May 1984, as well as to provide the Secretary-General with information in this regard;
    2. To make available relevant information with regard to their use of the death penalty, which can contribute to possible informed and transparent national debates;
    3. To progressively restrict the use of the death penalty and to reduce the number of offences for which it may be imposed;
    4. To establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty;
  4. Calls upon States which have abolished the death penalty not to reintroduce it, and encourages them to share their experience in this regard;
  5. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session on the implementation of the present resolution;
  6. Decides to continue its consideration of the matter at its sixty-seventh session under the item entitled "Promotion and protection of human rights".
  1. ^ Resolution 217 A (III).
  2. ^ Resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.
  3. ^ United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1577, No. 27531.
  4. ^ A/65/280 and Corr. 1.

Voting record

edit

2007

edit
In favour (104)
Abstaining (29) Against (54) Absent (5)
  Albania
  Algeria
  Andorra
  Angola
  Argentina
  Armenia
  Australia
  Austria
  Azerbaijan
  Belgium
  Benin
  Bolivia
  Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Brazil
  Bulgaria
  Burkina Faso
  Burundi
  Cambodia
  Canada
  Cape Verde
  Chile
  Colombia
  Congo
  Costa Rica
  Cote D'Ivoire
  Croatia
  Cyprus
  Czech Republic
  Denmark
  Dominican Republic
  Ecuador
  El Salvador
  Estonia
  Finland
  France
  Gabon
  Georgia
  Germany
  Greece
  Guatemala
  Haiti
  Honduras
  Hungary
  Iceland
  Ireland
  Israel
  Italy
  Kazakhstan
  Kiribati
  Kyrgyzstan
  Latvia
  Liechtenstein
  Lithuania
  Luxembourg
  Madagascar
  Mali
  Malta
  Marshall Islands
  Mauritius
  Mexico
  Micronesia (Federated States of)
  Monaco
  Montenegro
  Mozambique
  Namibia
  Nauru
    Nepal
  Netherlands
  New Zealand
  Nicaragua
  Norway
  Palau
  Panama
  Paraguay
  Philippines
  Poland
  Portugal
  Republic of Moldova
  Romania
  Russian Federation
  Rwanda
  Samoa
  San Marino
  Sao Tome and Principe
  Serbia
  Slovakia
  Slovenia
  South Africa
  Spain
  Sri Lanka
  Sweden
   Switzerland
  Tajikistan
  The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
  Timor-Leste
  Turkey
  Turkmenistan
  Tuvalu
  Ukraine
  United Kingdom
  Uruguay
  Uzbekistan
  Vanuatu
  Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
  Belarus
  Bhutan
  Cameroon
  Central African Republic
  Cuba
  Democratic Republic of the Congo
  Djibouti
  Equatorial Guinea
  Eritrea
  Fiji
  Gambia
  Ghana
  Guinea
  Kenya
  Lao People's Democratic Republic
  Lebanon
  Lesotho
  Liberia
  Malawi
  Morocco
  Niger
  Republic of Korea
  Sierra Leone
  Swaziland
  Togo
  United Arab Emirates
  United Republic of Tanzania
  Viet Nam
  Zambia
  Afghanistan
  Antigua and Barbuda
  Bahamas
  Bahrain
  Bangladesh
  Barbados
  Belize
  Botswana
  Brunei Darussalam
  Chad
  China
  Comoros
  Democratic People's Republic of Korea
  Dominica
  Egypt
  Ethiopia
  Grenada
  Guyana
  India
  Indonesia
  Iran (Islamic Republic of)
  Iraq
  Jamaica
  Japan
  Jordan
  Kuwait
  Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
  Malaysia
  Maldives
  Mauritania
  Mongolia
  Myanmar
  Nigeria
  Oman
  Pakistan
  Papua New Guinea
  Qatar
  Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Saint Lucia
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Saudi Arabia
  Singapore
  Solomon Islands
  Somalia
  Sudan
  Suriname
  Syrian Arab Republic
  Thailand
  Tonga
  Trinidad and Tobago
  Uganda
  United States of America
  Yemen
  Zimbabwe
  Guinea-Bissau
  Peru
  Senegal
  Seychelles
  Tunisia
Observer States:   Holy See

2008

edit
In favour (106)
Abstaining (34) Against (46) Absent (6)
  Albania
  Algeria
  Andorra
  Angola
  Argentina
  Armenia
  Australia
  Austria
  Azerbaijan
  Belgium
  Benin
  Bolivia
  Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Brazil
  Bulgaria
  Burkina Faso
  Burundi
  Cambodia
  Canada
  Cape Verde
  Chile
  Colombia
  Congo
  Costa Rica
  Cote D'Ivoire
  Croatia
  Cyprus
  Czech Republic
  Denmark
  Dominican Republic
  Ecuador
  El Salvador
  Estonia
  Ethiopia
  Finland
  France
  Gabon
  Georgia
  Germany
  Greece
  Guinea-Bissau
  Haiti
  Honduras
  Hungary
  Iceland
  Ireland
  Israel
  Italy
  Kazakhstan
  Kyrgyzstan
  Latvia
  Liechtenstein
  Lithuania
  Luxembourg
  Madagascar
  Mali
  Malta
  Marshall Islands
  Mauritius
  Mexico
  Micronesia (Federated States of)
  Monaco
  Montenegro
  Mozambique
  Namibia
  Nauru
    Nepal
  Netherlands
  New Zealand
  Nicaragua
  Norway
  Palau
  Panama
  Paraguay
  Peru
  Philippines
  Poland
  Portugal
  Republic of Moldova
  Romania
  Russian Federation
  Rwanda
  Samoa
  San Marino
  Sao Tome and Principe
  Serbia
  Slovakia
  Slovenia
  Somalia
  South Africa
  Spain
  Sri Lanka
  Sweden
   Switzerland
  Tajikistan
  The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
  Timor-Leste
  Turkey
  Turkmenistan
  Tuvalu
  Ukraine
  United Kingdom
  Uruguay
  Uzbekistan
  Vanuatu
  Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
  Bahrain
  Belarus
  Bhutan
  Cameroon
  Central African Republic
  Cuba
  Djibouti
  Eritrea
  Fiji
  Gambia
  Ghana
  Guatemala
  Guinea
  Jordan
  Kenya
  Lao People's Democratic Republic
  Lebanon
  Lesotho
  Liberia
  Malawi
  Mauritania
  Morocco
  Niger
  Oman
  Papua New Guinea
  Republic of Korea
  Senegal
  Sierra Leone
  Suriname
  Togo
  United Arab Emirates
  United Republic of Tanzania
  Viet Nam
  Zambia
  Afghanistan
  Antigua and Barbuda
  Bahamas
  Bangladesh
  Barbados
  Belize
  Botswana
  Brunei Darussalam
  China
  Comoros
  Democratic People's Republic of Korea
  Dominica
  Egypt
  Grenada
  Guyana
  India
  Indonesia
  Iran (Islamic Republic of)
  Iraq
  Jamaica
  Japan
  Kuwait
  Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
  Malaysia
  Maldives
  Mongolia
  Myanmar
  Nigeria
  Pakistan
  Qatar
  Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Saint Lucia
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Saudi Arabia
  Singapore
  Solomon Islands
  Sudan
  Swaziland
  Syrian Arab Republic
  Thailand
  Tonga
  Trinidad and Tobago
  Uganda
  United States of America
  Yemen
  Zimbabwe
  Chad
  Democratic Republic of the Congo
  Equatorial Guinea
  Kiribati
  Seychelles
  Tunisia
Observer States:   Holy See

2010

edit
In favour (109)
Abstaining (35) Against (41) Absent (7)
  Albania
  Algeria
  Andorra
  Angola
  Argentina
  Armenia
  Australia
  Austria
  Azerbaijan
  Belgium
  Bhutan
  Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
  Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Brazil
  Bulgaria
  Burkina Faso
  Burundi
  Cambodia
  Canada
  Cape Verde
  Chile
  Colombia
  Congo
  Costa Rica
  Croatia
  Cyprus
  Czech Republic
  Denmark
  Dominican Republic
  Ecuador
  El Salvador
  Estonia
  Finland
  France
  Gabon
  Gambia
  Georgia
  Germany
  Greece
  Guatemala
  Guinea-Bissau
  Haiti
  Honduras
  Hungary
  Iceland
  Ireland
  Israel
  Italy
  Kazakhstan
  Kiribati
  Kyrgyzstan
  Latvia
  Liechtenstein
  Lithuania
  Luxembourg
  Madagascar
  Maldives
  Mali
  Malta
  Marshall Islands
  Mexico
  Micronesia (Federated States of)
  Monaco
  Mongolia
  Montenegro
  Mozambique
  Namibia
  Nauru
    Nepal
  Netherlands
  New Zealand
  Nicaragua
  Norway
  Palau
  Panama
  Paraguay
  Peru
  Philippines
  Poland
  Portugal
  Republic of Moldova
  Romania
  Russian Federation
  Rwanda
  Samoa
  San Marino
  Sao Tome and Principe
  Serbia
  Slovakia
  Slovenia
  Somalia
  South Africa
  Spain
  Sri Lanka
  Sweden
   Switzerland
  Tajikistan
  The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
  Timor-Leste
  Togo
  Turkey
  Turkmenistan
  Tuvalu
  Ukraine
  United Kingdom
  Uruguay
  Uzbekistan
  Vanuatu
  Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
  Bahrain
  Belarus
  Cameroon
  Central African Republic
  Comoros
  Cuba
  Democratic Republic of the Congo
  Djibouti
  Dominica
  Eritrea
  Fiji
  Ghana
  Guinea
  Jordan
  Kenya
  Lao People's Democratic Republic
  Lebanon
  Lesotho
  Liberia
  Malawi
  Mauritania
  Morocco
  Niger
  Nigeria
  Oman
  Republic of Korea
  Senegal
  Sierra Leone
  Solomon Islands
  Suriname
  Thailand
  United Arab Emirates
  United Republic of Tanzania
  Viet Nam
  Zambia
  Afghanistan
  Antigua and Barbuda
  Bahamas
  Bangladesh
  Barbados
  Belize
  Botswana
  Brunei Darussalam
  China
  Democratic People's Republic of Korea
  Egypt
  Ethiopia
  Grenada
  Guyana
  India
  Indonesia
  Iran (Islamic Republic of)
  Iraq
  Jamaica
  Japan
  Kuwait
  Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
  Malaysia
  Myanmar
  Pakistan
  Papua New Guinea
  Qatar
  Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Saint Lucia
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Saudi Arabia
  Singapore
  Sudan
  Swaziland
  Tonga
  Trinidad and Tobago
  Uganda
  United States of America
  Yemen
  Zimbabwe
  Benin
  Chad
  Cote D'Ivoire
  Equatorial Guinea
  Mauritius
  Seychelles
  Tunisia
Observer States:   Holy See

2012

edit

2014

edit

2016

edit

2018

edit

2020

edit

2022

edit

See also

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ "General Assembly Adopts Landmark Text Calling for Moratorium on Death Penalty". United Nations. Archived from the original on 21 December 2007.
  2. ^ "Pena di morte, sì dell'Onu alla moratoria proposta dall'Italia" [Death penalty: yes from UN to Italy's proposed moratorium]. La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  3. ^ "New Resolution Approved by the UN. The Pro Moratorium Front Grows". Hands Off Cain. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  4. ^ "World's nations call for executions freeze". World Coalition. 20 December 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  5. ^ "117 countries vote for a global moratorium on executions". World Coalition. 19 December 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  6. ^ "The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly for a 6th resolution calling for a universal moratorium on executions". World Coalition. 19 December 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  7. ^ "Death penalty: Global abolition closer than ever as record number of countries vote to end executions". WCADP. 16 December 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  8. ^ "Statement on the Adoption of the 8th UN General Assembly Resolution for a Moratorium on the Use of the Death Penalty". WCADP. 17 December 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  9. ^ "9th Resolution for a moratorium on the death penalty: the trend is growing". World Coalition. 20 December 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  10. ^ "DEATH PENALTY: NGOs, Italy Seek Worldwide Ban". IPS News. Archived from the original on 9 October 2006. Retrieved 20 January 2020. IPS, 2006
edit