The United Nations moratorium on the death penalty
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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
SEPTEMBER 18, 2024WashingtonDEATH PENALTYUSA - Washington. Washington closes execution chamber at state penitentiary
SEPTEMBER 17, 2024Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTYDR CONGO: MILITARY COURT SENTENCES 37 TO DEATH IN COUP TRIAL
A military court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has sentenced to death 37 people, including three United States citizens, on charges of taking part in a failed coup in May.
- SEPTEMBER 8, 2024MalawiDEATH PENALTY
MALAWI GOVERNMENT DELAYS DEATH PENALTY ABOLITION BILL
The Malawi Ministry of Justice has delayed tabling the bill on the abolition of the death penalty, despite last year’s commitment to present it in parliament this year, Channel Africa reported on August 22, 2024.
JULY 8, 2024Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTYDR CONGO: 25 SOLDIERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR FLEEING BATTLE
Twenty-five soldiers have been sentenced to death by a military tribunal in the Democratic Republic of Congo for fleeing battles against M23 rebels and theft, their lawyer and an army spokesman said on July 4, 2024.
JUNE 20, 2024IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - UN Secretary-General’s report on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran
(A/HRC/56/22)
MAY 6, 2024United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Lethal drugs source of 2020/21 federal executions confirmed
Connecticut-based "Absolute Standards Inc."
- APRIL 10, 2024DEATH PENALTY
ECPM PETITION: TOGETHER, LET’S SAY NO TO THE EXECUTIONS OF PEOPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO!
Ensemble Contre la Peine de Mort addresses a petition to the President of the Republic and Head of State of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Felix Tshisékedi not to allow the resumption of capital executions
APRIL 10, 2024CaliforniaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Caligornioa. NGOs fight ‘racially discriminatory’ death penalty in California Supreme Court
- MARCH 25, 2024GuyanaDEATH PENALTY
GUYANA MAINTAINS STANCE ON DEATH PENALTY
In a recent address to the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC), Guyana reiterated its stance on the contentious issue of the death penalty, CNW reported on March 20, 2024.
- MARCH 14, 2024IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - 5 Juvenile Offenders Executed in 2023
2 confirmed, 3 unconfirmed
- MARCH 1, 2024United StatesDEATH PENALTY
EUROPEAN UNION - Statement on the latest executions in US
- FEBRUARY 29, 2024OklahomaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Oklahoma. HB 3138 for a moratorium passed House Judiciary Committee
FEBRUARY 29, 2024LouisianaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Louisiana. Senate passed HB 6
Allowing nitrogen suffocation as option for killing prisoners
JANUARY 13, 2024IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 17 Groups Call for Action to Halt Execution of Four Kurdish Political Prisoners
Mohsen Mazloum, Pejman Fatehi, Vafa Azarbar, and Hajir Faramarzi
JANUARY 12, 2024United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - U.S. to Seek Death for Payton Gendron
Biden thus contradicts his electoral promises
NOVEMBER 17, 2023CaliforniaDEATH PENALTYUSA - California. Judge Michael Sweet has sentenced Salvador Vasquez-Oliva to death
For killing 4 of his family
OCTOBER 31, 2023PennsylvaniaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Pennsylvania. House panel votes to abolish death penalty
OCTOBER 24, 2023AlgeriaDEATH PENALTYALGERIA: DEATH SENTENCES FOR 38 OVER FIRES VOLUNTEER LYNCHING
An Algerian appellate court upheld the death sentence on October 23, 2023 for 38 individuals found guilty of the murder of Jamal Ben Ismail.
OCTOBER 16, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: OVER 3,000 PRISONERS ON DEATH ROW AMID CALLS TO ABOLISH CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Members of the international community on October 10, 2023 urged again Nigeria to abolish the death penalty.
JULY 18, 2023OhioDEATH PENALTYUSA - Ohio. Ohio Joins 15 Other States Without an Execution in 5 Years
MAY 22, 2023United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Death Row USA Summer 2022 Report: 2,394 on death row
MAY 17, 2023United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Federal. Sayfullo Saipov formally sentenced to 10 life sentences
APRIL 20, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: 3298 INMATES ON DEATH ROW - GOVERNORS HESITANT TO SIGN DEATH WARRANTS (NCOS)
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) says 3,298 inmates across custodial centres in Nigeria are on death row.
- MARCH 20, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
THE DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUG OFFENCES: GLOBAL OVERVIEW 2022 (HARM REDUCTION INTERNATIONAL)
As of December 2022, Harm Reduction International (HRI) recorded at least 285 executions for drug offences globally during the year, a 118% increase from 2021, and an 850% increase from 2020.
- FEBRUARY 16, 2023PennsylvaniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pennsylvania. (16/02/2023) Gov. Josh Shapiro blocks death penalty, calls for repeal
The state has already been in a moratorium since 2015
JANUARY 18, 2023United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Biden inaction, mixed signals on death penalty
- DECEMBER 18, 2022United NationsDEATH PENALTY
UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPROVES ‘MORATORIUM ON THE USE OF THE DEATH PENALTY’ RESOLUTION
125 votes in favour (3 more than in 2020), 37 against (one less than in 2020) and 22 abstentions (there were 24 in 2020).
NOVEMBER 23, 2022AlabamaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Alabama. Governor Halts Executions After Execution Failures
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey
- NOVEMBER 13, 2022United NationsDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY: UN SUPPORT TO A MORATORIUM GROWS TO 126 MEMBER STATES
International support grew at the United Nations for a moratorium on executions.
- OCTOBER 13, 2022ArmeniaDEATH PENALTY
EU AND COUNCIL OF EUROPE CALL ON ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN TO JOIN PROTOCOL ON BANNING DEATH PENALTY
On the occasion of the European and World Day against the Death Penalty, the European Union (EU) and the Council of Europe firmly reiterated their unequivocal opposition to the death penalty at all times, in all places and in all circumstances.