The United Nations moratorium on the death penalty
Archive theme
Since 2007 the General Assembly of the United Nations has adopted at regular intervals a resolution calling on states for a moratorium on executions, with a view to abolishing the death penalty. The resolution is not binding, but every vote measures how many states are willing to support it, and the supporters have grown over time.
Hands Off Cain works on parliaments and governments so that this number grows and so that the vote is followed by decisions at home. This page collects the news on the votes, the co-sponsorships and the positions of individual countries.
Latest news
- NOVEMBER 3, 1999Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
On November 3 Ambassador Renato Martino, speaking at...
On November 3 Ambassador Renato Martino, speaking at the Third Committee of the General Assembly (human rights) under item 116a (death penalty), said that the right to life is an inalienable right of every human person
- NOVEMBER 3, 1999ItalyDEATH PENALTY
On November 3, Ambassador of Singapore Kishore Mahbubani,...
On November 3, Ambassador of Singapore Kishore Mahbubani, referring to this initiative at the Third Committe of the General Assembly, said, "We are puzzled to read that a decision has been taken by the UN to make the Coliseum in Rome a symbol of the cause
- NOVEMBER 2, 1999FinlandDEATH PENALTY
On November 2, Ann Marie Nyroos, speaking at the Third...
On November 2, Ann Marie Nyroos, speaking at the Third Committee of the General Assembly (human rights) under item 116a (death penalty), said the EU is convinced that the abolition of the death penalty contributes to the enhancement of human dignity and t
- NOVEMBER 2, 1999UkraineDEATH PENALTY
On November 2, Ukraine representative Ms
On November 2, Ukraine representative Ms
- NOVEMBER 2, 1999St. LuciaDEATH PENALTY
On November 2, Saint Lucia's Ambassador Julian R
On November 2, Saint Lucia's Ambassador Julian R
- NOVEMBER 1, 1999San MarinoDEATH PENALTY
In November, Ambassador Gian Nicola Filippi Balestra,...
In November, Ambassador Gian Nicola Filippi Balestra, speaking at the Third Committee of the General Assembly, said San Marino is firmly convinced that death, consciously and legally inflicted by one human being on another cannot be considered either as a
- NOVEMBER 1, 1999PakistanDEATH PENALTY
In November, the Pakistani representative, speaking...
In November, the Pakistani representative, speaking at the Third Committee of the General Assembly (human rights) under item 116a (death penalty), said the issue of the death penalty pertains to crime prevention and criminal justice
- NOVEMBER 1, 1999SloveniaDEATH PENALTY
In November, speaking at the Third Committee of the...
In November, speaking at the Third Committee of the General Assembly, Slovenia's representative welcomed any progress towards the restrictive use of capital punishment with a view to its final abolition
- NOVEMBER 1, 1999IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
In November, Makmur Widodo, speaking at the Third Committee...
In November, Makmur Widodo, speaking at the Third Committee of the General Assembly, said that in the absence of an international consensus, as indicated by the fact that so many countries officially dissociated themselves from resolution 1999/61 adopted
- NOVEMBER 1, 1999PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
In November, speaking at the Third Committee of the...
In November, speaking at the Third Committee of the General Assembly (human rights) under item 116a (death penalty), the representative of the Philippines said his country could not support any resolution calling for the progressive abolition of capital p
- NOVEMBER 1, 1999SyriaDEATH PENALTY
In November, the Syrian representative, speaking at...
In November, the Syrian representative, speaking at the Third Committee of the General Assembly, affirmed: "The real issue is not whether the death penalty should or should not be applied, but rather each country's sovereign right to choose its own politi
- NOVEMBER 1, 1999LibyaDEATH PENALTY
In November, speaking at the Third Committee of the...
In November, speaking at the Third Committee of the General Assembly (human rights) under item 116a (death penalty), the representative of the Libyan mission el-Sayeda Nagat el-Haggiog said that the question of the death penalty fell within the sphere of
- NOVEMBER 1, 1999SudanDEATH PENALTY
In November, Ambassador Mubarak Husein Rahmatalla,...
In November, Ambassador Mubarak Husein Rahmatalla, speaking at the Third Committee of the General Assembly, referring to the European Union's resolution on the death penalty, said, "Firstly, we would like to point out that there is no unanimous view on th
- OCTOBER 28, 1999UzbekistanDEATH PENALTY
On October 28, a delegation from the Italian Senate...
On October 28, a delegation from the Italian Senate and Hands off Cain went to Uzbekistan to lobby for the resolution for a moratorium that the European Union was planning to present at the UN General Assembly
- OCTOBER 24, 1999AlgeriaDEATH PENALTY
On October 24, President Bouteflika sent MEP Emma Bonino...
On October 24, President Bouteflika sent MEP Emma Bonino a letter saying Algeria would abstain on the resolution for a moratorium on executions presented by the European Union at the 54th UN General Assembly
- OCTOBER 20, 1999PakistanDEATH PENALTY
On October 20, Pakistani representative Munawar Saeed...
On October 20, Pakistani representative Munawar Saeed Bhatti, speaking at the Third Committee of the General Assembly on item 107, crime prevention and criminal justice, said that maintenance of societal peace and law and order through an effective crime
- OCTOBER 20, 1999Antigua & BarbudaDEATH PENALTY
On October 20, at the Third Committe of the General...
On October 20, at the Third Committe of the General Assembly under item 107 on crime prevention and criminal justice, speaking on behalf of the member States of the Caribbean Community - Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint
- OCTOBER 19, 1999IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
On October 19, Sadewo Joedo, speaking at the Third...
On October 19, Sadewo Joedo, speaking at the Third Committee of the General Assembly on items 107, crime prevention, and 108, international drug control, said that it is the responsibility of each country to establish its own domestic laws, and the positi
- OCTOBER 8, 1999SingaporeDEATH PENALTY
On October 8, Ambassador Kishore Mahbubani, speaking...
On October 8, Ambassador Kishore Mahbubani, speaking at the Third Committee of the General Assembly on item 106 (social development), referring to the European Union's resolution on the death penalty, said, "We should respect their right to abolish the de
- OCTOBER 1, 1999United StatesDEATH PENALTY
In October, republican presidential candidate Andy...
In October, republican presidential candidate Andy Martin, who is on the ballot in New Hampshire, announced he would campaign in the 2000 presidential primaries asking Republican voters to reject the "culture of death" which is "executing our future with
- AUGUST 22, 1999BarbadosDEATH PENALTY
On August 22, a delegation from Hands off Cain went...
On August 22, a delegation from Hands off Cain went to Barbados to lobby for the resolution for a moratorium that the European Union was planning to present at the UN General Assembly
- JULY 22, 1999KenyaDEATH PENALTY
Kenya signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed...
Kenya signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed to the President of the Economic and Social Council, in which the retentionist countries dissociated from the Commission on Human Rights resolution 1999/61 on the question of the death penalty
- JULY 22, 1999LibyaDEATH PENALTY
Libya signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed...
Libya signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed to the President of the Economic and Social Council, in which the retentionist countries dissociated from the Commission on Human Rights resolution 1999/61 on the question of the death penalty
- JULY 22, 1999MauritaniaDEATH PENALTY
Mauritania signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed...
Mauritania signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed to the President of the Economic and Social Council, in which the retentionist countries dissociated from the Commission on Human Rights resolution 1999/61 on the question of the death penalty
- JULY 22, 1999NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Nigeria signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed...
Nigeria signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed to the President of the Economic and Social Council, in which the retentionist countries dissociated from the Commission on Human Rights resolution 1999/61 on the question of the death penalty
- JULY 22, 1999SudanDEATH PENALTY
Sudan signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed...
Sudan signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed to the President of the Economic and Social Council, in which the retentionist countries dissociated from the Commission on Human Rights resolution 1999/61 on the question of the death penalty
- JULY 22, 1999EswatiniDEATH PENALTY
Swaziland signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed...
Swaziland signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed to the President of the Economic and Social Council, in which the retentionist countries dissociated from the Commission on Human Rights resolution 1999/61 on the question of the death penalty
- JULY 22, 1999TanzaniaDEATH PENALTY
Tanzania signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed...
Tanzania signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed to the President of the Economic and Social Council, in which the retentionist countries dissociated from the Commission on Human Rights resolution 1999/61 on the question of the death penalty
- JULY 22, 1999ZimbabweDEATH PENALTY
Zimbabwe signed the letter, dated July 22, 1999, addressed...
Zimbabwe signed the letter, dated July 22, 1999, addressed to the President of the Economic and Social Council, in which the retentionist countries dissociated themselves from the Commission on Human Rights resolution 1999/61 on the question of the death
- JULY 22, 1999ChinaDEATH PENALTY
China signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed...
China signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed to the President of the Economic and Social Council, in which the retentionist countries dissociated themselves from the Commission on Human Rights resolution 1999/61 on the question of the death pena