The Death Penalty in the OSCE Area
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights64 and the Convention on the Rights of
the Child,65
Reaffirming its resolutions 62/149 of 18 December 2007 and 63/168 of
18 December 2008 on the question of a moratorium on the use of the death penalty,
in which the General Assembly called upon States that still maintain the death penalty to establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing it,
Mindful that any miscarriage or failure of justice in the implementation of the death
penalty is irreversible and irreparable,
Convinced that a moratorium on the use of the death penalty contributes to respect
for human dignity and to the enhancement and progressive development of human
rights, and considering that there is no conclusive evidence of the deterrent value of
the death penalty,
Noting ongoing national debates and regional initiatives on the death penalty, as well
as the readiness of an increasing number of Member States to make available information on the use of the death penalty,
Noting also the technical cooperation among Member States in relation to moratoriums on the death penalty,
1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of resolution
63/16866 and the recommendations contained therein;
2. Also welcomes the steps taken by some countries to reduce the number of offences
for which the death penalty may be imposed and the decisions made by an increasing
number of States to apply a moratorium on executions, followed in many cases by the
abolition of the death penalty;
3. Calls upon all States:
(a) To respect international standards that provide safeguards guaranteeing protection
of the rights of those facing the death penalty, in particular the minimum standards,
as set out in the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1984/50 of 25
May 1984, as well as to provide the Secretary-General with information in this regard;
(b) To make available relevant information with regard to their use of the death penalty, which can contribute to possible informed and transparent national debates;
64
See resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.
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United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1577, No. 27531.
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A/65/280 and Corr.1.
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