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, 2008United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Of the 50 states that make up the United States of America, 38 have the death penalty.
Of the 50 states that make up the United States of America, 38 have the death penalty.
- JANUARY 1, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
Offences punishable by death include:
Offences punishable by death include:
- JANUARY 1, 2008ChinaDEATH PENALTY
A revised Criminal Procedure Law came into force in January 1997
A revised Criminal Procedure Law came into force in January 1997
- JANUARY 1, 2008North CarolinaDEATH PENALTY
The method of execution is injection.
The method of execution is injection.
- JANUARY 1, 2008IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is applicable for murder..
The death penalty is applicable for murder...
- JANUARY 1, 2008KyrgyzstanDEATH PENALTY
On June 27, 2007 Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev...
On June 27, 2007 Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev signed legislation amending Kyrgyzstan's criminal codes and abolishing the death penalty.
- JANUARY 1, 2008PakistanDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is imposed for several crimes...
The death penalty is imposed for several crimes...
- JANUARY 1, 2008IllinoisDEATH PENALTY
The method of execution is injection.
The method of execution is injection.
- JANUARY 1, 2008BahrainDEATH PENALTY
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are
- DECEMBER 29, 2007FloridaDEATH PENALTY
Florida did not execute any death-row inmates this year for the first time in 25 years...
Florida did not execute any death-row inmates this year for the first time in 25 years, the result of legal and ethical challenges to lethal injection that have temporarily halted executions nationwide.
- DECEMBER 22, 2007RussiaDEATH PENALTY
RUSSIA NOT PLANNING TO REINSTATE DEATH PENALTY – HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN
Russia, currently observing a moratorium on capital punishment, does not plan on reinstating the death penalty according to Human Rights Commissioner Vladimir Lukin.
- DECEMBER 21, 2007RussiaDEATH PENALTY
RUSSIA: PACE PRESIDENT URGES DUMA TO RATIFY DEATH PENALTY BAN PROTOCOL
PACE president Rene van der Linden called upon the State Duma lower house of the Russian parliament to ratify Protocol # 6 (on death penalty ban) and Protocol # 14 (on procedures of the European court of human rights).
- DECEMBER 20, 2007AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHAN DEATH PENALTY RAISES CONCERNS
the resumption of the death penalty in Afghanistan sparked concern among many of the nations that provide military and financial aid.
- DECEMBER 20, 2007NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: STOP EXECUTIONS, ADOPT A MORATORIUM
Nigerian NGOs and Amnesty International express serious concerns about reports of the executions of several prisoners on death row in Nigerian prisons and call for an immediate moratorium.
DECEMBER 20, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTYMORATORIUM. RADICALS, THE HARD WORK STARTS NOW
“The hard work starts now. Its like signing a contract, now you have to apply it,”
DECEMBER 19, 2007QatarDEATH PENALTYMIDDLE EAST. ARAB PRESS IGNORES UN VOTE AGAINST DEATH PENALTY
the Arab press largely ignored the news on the UN General Assembly's non-
- DECEMBER 18, 2007Timor-LesteDEATH PENALTY
East Timor voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
East Timor voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
- DECEMBER 18, 2007TuvaluDEATH PENALTY
Tuvalu voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
Tuvalu voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
- DECEMBER 18, 2007SwitzerlandDEATH PENALTY
Switzerland voted in favour of the Resolution...
Switzerland voted in favour of the Resolution...
- DECEMBER 18, 2007TurkmenistanDEATH PENALTY
Turkmenistan voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
Turkmenistan voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
- DECEMBER 18, 2007United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
the United Kingdom voted in favour of the Resolution...
the United Kingdom voted in favour of the Resolution...
- DECEMBER 18, 2007UruguayDEATH PENALTY
Uruguay voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
Uruguay voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
- DECEMBER 18, 2007TajikistanDEATH PENALTY
Tajikistan voted in favour of the Resolution on a...
Tajikistan voted in favour of the Resolution on a...
- DECEMBER 18, 2007VanuatuDEATH PENALTY
Vanuatu voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
Vanuatu voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
- DECEMBER 18, 2007VenezuelaDEATH PENALTY
Venezuela voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
Venezuela voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
- DECEMBER 18, 2007UzbekistanDEATH PENALTY
Uzbekistan voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
Uzbekistan voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
- DECEMBER 18, 2007ColombiaDEATH PENALTY
Colombia co-sponsored and voted in favour...
Colombia co-sponsored and voted in favour...
DECEMBER 18, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTYMORATORIUM. PANNELLA, IT’S A SUCCESS FOR ALL
''It is a success for everyone that, for 14 years, every day, in their own way
DECEMBER 18, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTYHANDS OFF CAIN: WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE UN MORATORIUM NOW THE FOCUS GOES TO ITS IMPLEMENTATION
“After 15 years of campaigning, the approval of the moratorium on death penalty
DECEMBER 18, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTYUN GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPROVES RESOLUTION CALLING FOR DEATH PENALTY MORATORIUM
The U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty with a view to abolishing capital punishment. The vote in the 192-member world body was 104-54 with 29 abstentions.
