Human Rights Council

Resolution
Sponsors: China, Russia, USA
Signatories: Canada, Pakistan, Nigeria, Somalia,
Japan, Egypt, Belarus, India, Iraq, Yemen, Algeria
Topic: Abolition of the Death Penalty
The Human Rights Council,
Reaffirming the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child,
Recalling article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms the right of
everyone to life, article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and articles
6 and 37 (a) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child,
Reaffirming its resolutions 62/149 of 18 December 2007, 63/168 of 18 December 2008 and
65/206 of 21 December 2010 on the question of a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, in
which the Human Rights Committee called upon States that still maintain the death penalty to
establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing it, therefore establishing a
mutual agreement,
Recalling also General Assembly resolutions 2857 (XXVI) of 20 December 1971 and 32/61 of 8
December 1977 on capital punishment, as well as resolution 44/128 of 15 December 1989, in
which the Assembly adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession the Second
Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the
abolition of the death penalty,
Emphasizes its concern about the continued application of the death penalty, as it brings a
significant violation of the following articles from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
* Article 3 which state that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person;
* Article 5 which states that No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment;
Recalling its resolution 1998/8 of 3 April 1998 in which it expressed its conviction that abolition
of the death penalty contributes to the enhancement of human dignity and to the progressive
development of human rights,
A: Bd. Mihail Koglniceanu nr. 36-46, Complexul Studenesc Mihail Koglniceanu, Cmin B,
camera 122B
E: office@unyouth.ro W: www.unyouth.ro Tel: 0213104264

Welcoming the fact that many countries, while still keeping the death penalty in their penal
legislation, are applying a moratorium on executions,
1. Encourages all countries to conduct public opinion surveys in order to find out
the popular support over the usage of the death penalty;

2. Urges all States that still maintain the death penalty:

(a) To comply fully with their obligations under the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child,
notably not to impose the death penalty for any but the most serious
crimes and only pursuant to a final judgment rendered by an independent
and impartial competent court;
(b) Not to impose the death penalty for the following categories of people:
Individuals below the age at which people are considered legally
responsible in front of the law in their countries; Pregnant women; Women
with infants (0-2); Mentally ill; Individuals over life expectancy will be
sentenced to life in prison;

3. Calls upon all States that still maintain the death penalty, to refrain from
using methods of capital punishment universally regarded as being cruel and
inhumane;

4. Emphasizes the importance of having relevant information with regard to the

use of the death penalty, the number of people sentenced to death, the
number of people on death row and the number of executions carried out in
countries that still use the death penalty;

5. Considers that making available to the public information with regard to the
imposition of the death penalty, can contribute to possible informed and
transparent international debates, including on the obligations of States
pertaining to the use of the death penalty;

A: Bd. Mihail Koglniceanu nr. 36-46, Complexul Studenesc Mihail Koglniceanu, Cmin B,
camera 122B
E: office@unyouth.ro W: www.unyouth.ro Tel: 0213104264

6. Recognizes the religious beliefs of any country as long as they are in

accordance with the Human Rights established by the United Nations;

7. Encourages that the countries that still maintain the death penalty to
recognize the importance of sending the proper message towards society and
not degrade the human identity in accordance with the UN Charter;

8. Expresses its hope that each country that still maintain the death penalty to
continue to investigate the possibility to reduce the number of executions
and also the number of crimes for which capital punishment is enforced;
9. Accepts that the Human Rights Council must provide support for the
countries that want to abolish the capital punishment;
10.Decides to continue consideration of the matter at its twenty-fifth regular
session under the same agenda item.

25th meeting 15 December 2013 [Adopted by a roll-call vote of 11 votes to 5, with 1

abstention.]

A: Bd. Mihail Koglniceanu nr. 36-46, Complexul Studenesc Mihail Koglniceanu, Cmin B,
camera 122B
E: office@unyouth.ro W: www.unyouth.ro Tel: 0213104264