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
- JANUARY 1, 2012TunisiaDEATH PENALTY
Murder, violence and aggression, attacks against the internal security of the State and attacks against the external security of the State are all capital offences.
Murder, violence and aggression, attacks against the internal security of the State and attacks against the external security of the State are all capital offences.
- JANUARY 1, 2012North CarolinaDEATH PENALTY
The method of execution is injection.
The method of execution is injection.
- DECEMBER 25, 2011OregonDEATH PENALTY
USA - Oregon. The State of Oregon is looking to sell $18,000 worth of lethal drugs now than Gov. John Kitzhaber has declared a moratorium
USA - Oregon. The State of Oregon is looking to sell $18,000 worth of lethal drugs now than Gov. John Kitzhaber has declared a moratorium
- DECEMBER 15, 2011United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The death penalty in 2011: Year end report - Executions Decline, Death Sentences Fall Well Below 100
USA - The death penalty in 2011: Year end report - Executions Decline, Death Sentences Fall Well Below 100
- DECEMBER 7, 2011KentuckyDEATH PENALTY
USA - Kentucky. ABA study questions death penalty in Kentucky
USA - Kentucky. ABA study questions death penalty in Kentucky
- DECEMBER 2, 2011DEATH PENALTY
CALIFORNIA (USA): DOJ RELEASES LATEST HOMICIDE RATE STATISTICS
The California Department of Justice today released the annual "Homicide
- DECEMBER 2, 2011CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. The rate of homicide crimes decreased 7.8%
USA - California. The rate of homicide crimes decreased 7.8%
- NOVEMBER 26, 2011OregonDEATH PENALTY
USA - Oregon. Gary Haugen, who was supposed to be executed on Dec. 6, is now criticising the governor who called for a reprieve
USA - Oregon. Gary Haugen, who was supposed to be executed on Dec. 6, is now criticising the governor who called for a reprieve
- NOVEMBER 22, 2011OregonDEATH PENALTY
USA - Oregon. Governor Declares a 3-years Moratorium on All Executions
USA - Oregon. Governor Declares a 3-years Moratorium on All Executions
- NOVEMBER 21, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: UN RESOLUTION CONDEMNS RIGHTS ABUSES IN IRAN
the UN General Assembly's rights committee passed a resolution condemning human rights abuses in Iran. It condemned "torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including flogging and amputations" carried out by Iranian authorities.
- OCTOBER 17, 2011DEATH PENALTY
PRESENTATION OF THE “ABOLITIONIST OF THE YEAR 2011” AWARD
3.30pm, Via di Torre Argentina 76, Rome
- OCTOBER 17, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTY
HOC: ‘ABOLITIONIST OF THE YEAR 2011' AWARDED TO MONGOLIAN PRESIDENT ELBEGDORJ
the president of the Republic of Mongolia received the Hands Off Cain award for the ''Abolitionist of the Year 2011' for his strong commitment to the application of a moratorium on capital punishment in his country.
- OCTOBER 14, 2011DEATH PENALTY
RESOLUTION OF THE CONFERENCE
- OCTOBER 13, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTY
RWANDA: AFRICAN CONFERENCE AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY OPENS IN KIGALI
this morning in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, the Inter-African conference against
- OCTOBER 10, 2011DEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY: HANDS OFF CAIN ORGANISES CONFERENCE IN AFRICA FOR ABOLITION
October 10, 2011: in conjunction with the World Day Against the Death Penalty, Hands Off Cain and the Rwandan government are holding a conference against the death penalty. Twenty three countries from southern, central, and eastern Africa will participate
- OCTOBER 5, 2011Trinidad & TobagoDEATH PENALTY
Trinidad and Tobago was reviewed under the Universal Periodic Review
Trinidad and Tobago was reviewed under the Universal Periodic Review
- OCTOBER 4, 2011Antigua & BarbudaDEATH PENALTY
Antigua and Barbuda was reviewed under the Universal Periodic Review
Antigua and Barbuda was reviewed under the Universal Periodic Review
- JULY 29, 2011DEATH PENALTY
PRESENTATION OF HANDS OFF CAIN'S 2011 REPORT ‘THE DEATH PENALTY WORLDWIDE’
Hands Off Cain is an international association that, together with the Radical Party, is conducting a campaign for a moratorium on capital punishment. It is with pleasure that we invite you to the presentation of our 2011 Report “The Death Penalty Worldwi
- JULY 11, 2011NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: AUTHORITIES SHOULD COMMUTE ACTRESS RABI ISMAIL'S DEATH SENTENCE
the Nigerian authorities must commute all death sentences and impose an official moratorium on executions, Amnesty International said, following the confirmation of a death sentence by the country's Supreme Court of actress Rabi Ismail for murder.
JUNE 27, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: RESOLUTION OVER MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY
A resolution calling for an immediate moratorium on the mandatory death penalty in Malaysia
- MAY 28, 2011NevadaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nevada. Senate advances bill to conduct audit on death penalty costs
USA - Nevada. Senate advances bill to conduct audit on death penalty costs
- APRIL 14, 2011NevadaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nevada. The Assembly Committee on Legislative Operations has abandoned a plan to impose a two-year moratorium
USA - Nevada. The Assembly Committee on Legislative Operations has abandoned a plan to impose a two-year moratorium
- APRIL 5, 2011Sierra LeoneDEATH PENALTY
SIERRA LEONE AGAINST UNIVERSAL MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY
Amnesty International was "gravely concerned that Sierra Leone's name was included
- MARCH 29, 2011TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Prominent Texans Support Death Penalty Moratorium
USA - Texas. Prominent Texans Support Death Penalty Moratorium
MARCH 28, 2011DEATH PENALTYAMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: EXECUTING COUNTRIES LEFT ISOLATED AFTER DECADE OF PROGRESS
Countries which continue to use the death penalty are being left increasingly isolated following
- MARCH 10, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY: HANDS OFF CAIN - ABOLITION IN ILLINOIS SIGNALS A CHANGE IN ALL THE UNITED STATES
“The abolition of the death penalty in Illinois signals a change in all the United States. It shows
- MARCH 4, 2011GhanaDEATH PENALTY
on behalf of Hands Off Cain, MP and Speaker of the OSCE
on behalf of Hands Off Cain, MP and Speaker of the OSCE
FEBRUARY 15, 2011BelarusDEATH PENALTYBELARUS: SUPREME COURT CONFIRMS DEATH SENTENCE
“I am deeply disappointed and concerned by the decision taken on Friday (February
- FEBRUARY 14, 2011GabonDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY: HANDS OFF CAIN ANNOUNCES ABOLITION IN GABON
Gabon completely abolished the death penalty in February 2010, the Radical association Hands Off Cain announced. Today, the Justice Minister of Gabon sent Hands Off Cain a copy of the law published in the Official Gazette.
- FEBRUARY 10, 2011MarylandDEATH PENALTY
USA - Maryland. Gov. Martin O'Malley's effectively extends a de facto moratorium
USA - Maryland. Gov. Martin O'Malley's effectively extends a de facto moratorium