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
- NOVEMBER 14, 2007United NationsDEATH PENALTY
UN: DEATH PENALTY MORATORIUM MEETS STRONG OPPOSITION
a proposal to ultimately abolish the death penalty was delayed by scores of countries that oppose the measure and accused the sponsors of attempting to interfere with the laws of sovereign states.
- NOVEMBER 12, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
NAPOLITANO: DEATH PENALTY DISCUSSED WITH QATAR EMIR
Italian president Giorgio Napolitano raised the issue of a Moratorium on the death penalty in his meeting with the emir of Qatar Al-Thani, at the head of a country whose legislation still includes the death penalty.
- NOVEMBER 7, 2007CanadaDEATH PENALTY
CANADA DROPS SPONSORSHIP OF UN ANTI-DEATH PENALTY RESOLUTION
Canada said that it will not co-sponsor a United Nations resolution calling for a global moratorium on the death penalty, breaking a nearly decade-old tradition by a country that has long prided itself on its opposition to capital punishment.
- NOVEMBER 4, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
a global moratorium of the death penalty isn't just an idea of a few countries...
a global moratorium of the death penalty isn't just an idea of a few countries...
- NOVEMBER 1, 2007United NationsDEATH PENALTY
RESOLUTION ON A MORATORIUM ON THE DEATH PENALTY
the UN General Assembly received a draft resolution signed by 72 countries calling for a global moratorium on the death penalty.
- OCTOBER 30, 2007United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA. LETHAL INJECTIONS MAY STOP UNTIL RULING
the US Supreme Court halted an execution in Mississippi, less than an hour
- OCTOBER 29, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY. PRO MORATORIUM CAMPAIGN ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT AT THE NEW YORK MARATHON
At the New York Marathon on November 4, Olympic champion Stefano Baldini will run with a ribbon to support the Italian initiative to halt global executions.
- OCTOBER 24, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. D'ELIA- EUROPE’S CONDESCENSION DOESN’T HELP RESPECT OF HUMAN RIGHTS
“It lacks consistency and credibility that countries, like Italy, support the UN Moratorium on capital
- OCTOBER 24, 2007IndiaDEATH PENALTY
SCRAP DEATH PENALTY: EMINENT CITIZENS
SCRAP DEATH PENALTY: EMINENT CITIZENS
- OCTOBER 23, 2007DEATH PENALTY
HANDS OFF CAIN & ALICE IN CERCA DI TEATRO present THE QUESTION
THE QUESTION, Literary Recital In Support Of The Approval Of A Resolution For A Worldwide Moratorium On The Death Penalty by the United Nations
- OCTOBER 19, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY. D'ELIA, BATTLE FOR THE MORATORIUM TEST OF DEALINGS WITH GOVERNMENT
Sergio D'Elia, secretary of Hands Off Cain and Rosa nel Pugno Parliamentarian, said that the situation regarding the Universal Moratorium on capital punishment at the UN “is a cause for concern.”
- OCTOBER 16, 2007DEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY. SUPPORT FROM LATIN AMERICA FOR UN MORATORIUM
Chile, Ecuador and Mexico have confirmed their support for the UN initiative for a moratorium
- OCTOBER 12, 2007NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: RIGHTS LAWYER LOBBIES AGAINST DEATH PENALTY
Olawale Fapohunda, a leading human rights lawyer in Nigeria, called for a formal moratorium on executions and a speedy end to capital punishment in Nigeria.
- OCTOBER 10, 2007New ZealandDEATH PENALTY
NEW ZEALAND BACKS WORLDWIDE MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY
New Zealand is working with other countries
- OCTOBER 10, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY. RADICALS SEEK PRO MORATORIUM MOBILISATION
the Radicals are asking for support in walking the last mile toward UN approval of the Moratorium on the death penalty by mid December. They held an outdoor press conference in Piazza Argentina, Rome, at one of the many stands used by the Radicals to col
- OCTOBER 9, 2007ChinaDEATH PENALTY
HRW. CHINA SHOULD ISSUE MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS BEFORE OLYMPICS
China should impose a moratorium on all executions as a goodwill gesture before
- OCTOBER 9, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
NEW YORK. APPEAL BY GLOBAL COALITION FOR MORATORIUM
the Press Conference for the Abolitionof the
- OCTOBER 1, 2007GuatemalaDEATH PENALTY
GUATEMALA. BOTH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES PLEDGE TO REVIVE DEATH PENALTY
the two presidential candidates in Guatemala’s November 4 runoff election have
- SEPTEMBER 28, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY. RADICALS ACHIEVE OBJECTIVE OF PUTTING UN MORATORIUM CAMPAIGN ON TRACK
the militant Radicals, committed to a hunger strike to support the UN Moratorium on capital punishment, have decided to suspend their non violent action.
- SEPTEMBER 27, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
MORATORIUM. EP URGES COUNCIL TO PRESENT A RESOLUTION TO THE UN
MEPs called on the Council to present a resolution on the moratorium on the death penalty to the 62nd UN General Assembly, in order to adopt it before the end of the year.
- SEPTEMBER 27, 2007NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: NGO COALITION ASKS ASSEMBLY TO PASS DEATH PENALTY BILL INTO LAW
a coalition of local and international non governmental organisations called on the Nigerian National Assembly to immediately pass into law the draft Death Penalty Moratorium Bill, submitted to it by the Human Rights Law Service in order to stop execution
- SEPTEMBER 26, 2007ArgentinaDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY-LATIN AMERICA: BROAD SUPPORT FOR UN MORATORIUM
many Latin American governments have not yet adopted a position, or have not communicated one, but the majority trend in the region appears to be to support the UN resolution for a Moratorium on the death penalty.
- SEPTEMBER 25, 2007PortugalDEATH PENALTY
MORATORIUM. CURRENT EU PRESIDENCY: RESOLUTION BY MID OCTOBER
Portugal, the current EU Presidency, will present the resolution for the Moratorium on capital punishment between early and mid October.
- SEPTEMBER 25, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY TO PUSH UN FOR WORLDWIDE MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY
Italy's premier called for a worldwide moratorium on the death penalty with a
- SEPTEMBER 18, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY. D'ALEMA: WE NEED EU UNITY ON MORATORIUM
according to the Italian Foreign Affairs Minister, Massimo D'Alema, the key for getting
- SEPTEMBER 18, 2007South KoreaDEATH PENALTY
SOUTH KOREA. CAMPAIGN STARTS TO SCRAP DEATH PENALTY
Religious, human rights and civic groups called in South Korea
- SEPTEMBER 18, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
MORATORIUM. BONINO: THEY DON’T LACK NUMBERS, THEY LACK COURAGE
in Brussels, Emma Bonino, the minister for International Trade and European Affairs, expressed “deep concern” over the management of Europe's initiative at the UN against the death penalty by the current Portuguese Presidency of the EU, criticising their
- SEPTEMBER 18, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY. PRODI CALLS ON LAUREATES TO BACK GLOBAL MORATORIUM
Romano Prodi, the Italian Prime Minister, is hoping Nobel Peace Prize winners will
- SEPTEMBER 18, 2007CubaDEATH PENALTY
CUBA: TALKS WITH EU POSSIBLY INCLUDE DEATH PENALTY
military tribunals that tried serious cases of murder and kidnapping in the last few weeks in Cuba have opted for life sentences or 30-year prison terms instead of the death penalty, which has not been applied in this country in more than four years in a
- SEPTEMBER 16, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
MORATORIUM. RADICALS RESTART INDEFINITE HUNGER STRIKE
The Transnational and Transparty Non Violent Radical Party issued a statement regarding the indefinite hunger strike of its members.