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
- MARCH 31, 2005SwitzerlandDEATH PENALTY
ISLAM. TARIQ RAMADAN CALLS FOR MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY IN MUSLIM WORLD
a prominent Muslim intellectual in Europe, Tariq Ramadan, has called for a moratorium on corporal punishment, stoning and the death penalty in the Muslim world.
- MARCH 16, 2005United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA. “I STILL SUPPORT THE DEATH PENALTY”, BUSH
in a news conference President Bush urged stated his support for the death penalty. The following is a transcript of his remarks:
- MARCH 3, 2005CroatiaDEATH PENALTY
CROATIA. ROUND TABLE FOR RELAUNCH OF UN MORATORIUM
European states must work towards United Nations approval of an anti death penalty resolution.
- MARCH 2, 2005PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
THE PHILIPPINES. CHINESE-FILIPINO WANT DEATH PENALTY RESTORED
members of the Chinese-Filipino community called on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to lift the moratorium on the death penalty following a recent kidnapping incident involving a 3-year-old boy.
- MARCH 2, 2005CroatiaDEATH PENALTY
CROATIA. HOC PRESENTS THE «AFRICA PROJECT» IN ZAGREB
in light of last year’s session of the UN Commission on Human Rights and the initiative to adopt the UN Resolution for a moratorium on executions, the Governmental Office for Human Rights of the Republic of Croatia has organised a round table discussion o
- FEBRUARY 25, 2005RussiaDEATH PENALTY
Speaker of the Federation Council (FC) upper house of the Russian parliament...
Speaker of the Federation Council (FC) upper house of the Russian parliament Sergei Mironov said he was "categorically opposed" to lifting the moratorium on death penalties.
- FEBRUARY 25, 2005RussiaDEATH PENALTY
Russian Justice Minister Yuri Chaika said he was opposed...
Russian Justice Minister Yuri Chaika said he was opposed to the idea to lift the moratorium on death penalties in the country.
- FEBRUARY 22, 2005PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
THE PHILIPPINES. BAN ON DEATH PENALTY STAYS BUT NOT FOR DRUGS AND KIDNAPPING
Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said the moratorium on the implementation of death penalty through lethal injection would stay indefinitely, except for convicted kidnappers and drug traffickers, in order to strike fear among criminal syndica
- FEBRUARY 22, 2005ItalyDEATH PENALTY
SPAIN. SENATE HEAD CALLS FOR UN MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS
Hands Off Cain presented the Spanish edition of its 2004 Report – the Death Penalty Worldwide at the Spanish senate in Madrid.
- FEBRUARY 15, 2005TajikistanDEATH PENALTY
rights activists welcomed the abolition of capital punishment in Tajikistan
rights activists welcomed the abolition of capital punishment in Tajikistan
- FEBRUARY 8, 2005ItalyDEATH PENALTY
during the 3rd congress of the Democrats of the Left...
during the 3rd congress of the Democrats of the Left...
- JANUARY 24, 2005BelarusDEATH PENALTY
Belarus is about to introduce moratorium on capital punishment
Belarus is about to introduce moratorium on capital punishment, chairman of the country’s Supreme Court, Valentin Sukalo
- JANUARY 15, 2005KyrgyzstanDEATH PENALTY
Kyrgyzstan extended its moratorium on the execution of death sentences until December 31
Kyrgyzstan extended its moratorium on the execution of death sentences until December 31
- JANUARY 1, 2005South AfricaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was abolished in South Africa on June 6, 1995, when the Constitutional Court found that it was inconsistent with the new Constitution.
The death penalty was abolished in South Africa on June 6, 1995, when the Constitutional Court found that it was inconsistent with the new Constitution.
- JANUARY 1, 2005SpainDEATH PENALTY
Spain became completely abolitionist in 1995.
Spain became completely abolitionist in 1995.
- JANUARY 1, 2005RussiaDEATH PENALTY
Russia is committed to abolishing the death penalty as a member of the Council of Europe (since February 28, 1996).
Russia is committed to abolishing the death penalty as a member of the Council of Europe (since February 28, 1996).
- JANUARY 1, 2005MoldovaDEATH PENALTY
Moldova abolished the death penalty for all crimes in December 1995.
Moldova abolished the death penalty for all crimes in December 1995.
- JANUARY 1, 2005ItalyDEATH PENALTY
Italy became totally abolitionist in 1994, when the death penalty was abolished from the Military Codes.
Italy became totally abolitionist in 1994, when the death penalty was abolished from the Military Codes.
- JANUARY 1, 2005GeorgiaDEATH PENALTY
Georgia abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1997.
Georgia abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1997.
- DECEMBER 21, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
the UN General Assembly on criticised the human rights situation in Iran
the UN General Assembly on criticised the human rights situation in Iran
- DECEMBER 17, 2004VirginiaDEATH PENALTY
A bill introduced by Delegate James F
A bill introduced by Delegate James F
- DECEMBER 10, 2004ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY. CONCERT IN PADUA FOR A MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS
during a press conference held at Palazzo Moroni on world human rights day, Hands Off Cain presented the anti death penalty performance to be held on Sunday December 12 at 18:00 at the Pollini Auditorium.
- OCTOBER 22, 2004RussiaDEATH PENALTY
Chairman of the State Duma Security Committee Vladimir...
Chairman of the State Duma Security Committee Vladimir Vasilyev said the country should not hurry with the annulment of the death penalty moratorium
- OCTOBER 22, 2004NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Professor Oluyemisi Bamgbose, Chairperson of the National...
Professor Oluyemisi Bamgbose, Chairperson of the National Study Group on Death Penalty, publicly presented the Report of the Study Group
- OCTOBER 20, 2004SpainDEATH PENALTY
The Spanish Parliament's Foreign Affairs Commission...
The Spanish Parliament's Foreign Affairs Commission unanimously approved a text committing the Spanish government to present a resolution for a worldwide moratorium on executions with a view to abolition at the UN General Assembly
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2004KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
The European Union hoped that a moratorium on the death...
The European Union hoped that a moratorium on the death penalty that Kazakhstan imposed on December 17, 2003 would lead to its absolute abolishment, Dutch Ambassador to Kazakhstan Peter van Leeuwen said at a press conference in Almaty
- SEPTEMBER 16, 2004RussiaDEATH PENALTY
The issue of sentencing terrorists to death needed...
The issue of sentencing terrorists to death needed serious debate, State Duma Chairman Boris Gryzlov told reporters
- SEPTEMBER 10, 2004RussiaDEATH PENALTY
The Russian lower house of parliament, the State Duma,...
The Russian lower house of parliament, the State Duma, had not ruled out the possibility of lifting the 1996 moratorium on death penalty and discussed it among other proposals to strengthen security after the terrorist attack in Beslan
- SEPTEMBER 6, 2004IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
"The European Union has learned with dismay that despite...
"The European Union has learned with dismay that despite previous expressions of concern of the EU and human rights organisations to the Indonesian authorities, Indonesia has carried out an execution in Medan
- AUGUST 11, 2004IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
the European Union expressed dismay at Indonesia's first execution...
the European Union expressed dismay at Indonesia's first execution...