Editing Capital punishment (section)

===International views===
{{anchor|International organisations}}
[[File:World laws pertaining to homosexual relationships and expression.svg|thumb|left|upright=1.15|Same-sex intercourse illegal: {{legend|#800000|[[Death penalty for homosexuality]]}}
{{legend|#cc6633|Death penalty in legislation, but not applied}}]] 
The United Nations introduced a resolution during the General Assembly's 62nd sessions in 2007 calling for a universal ban.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldcoalition.org/modules/news/article.php?storyid=10|title=Journée contre la peine de mort : le monde décide!|author=Thomas Hubert|date=29 June 2007|language=fr|publisher=Coalition Mondiale|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070915094641/http://www.worldcoalition.org/modules/news/article.php?storyid=10|archive-date=15 September 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.amnesty.org/pages/deathpenalty-index-eng |title=Abolish the death penalty &#124; Amnesty International |publisher=Web.amnesty.org |access-date=12 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011062214/http://web.amnesty.org/pages/deathpenalty-index-eng |archive-date=11 October 2008 }}</ref> The approval of a draft resolution by the Assembly's third committee, which deals with human rights issues, voted 99 to 52, with 33 abstentions, in support of the resolution on 15 November 2007 and was put to a vote in the Assembly on 18 December.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/un-set-key-death-penalty-vote-20071209|title=UN set for key death penalty vote|publisher=Amnesty International|date=9 December 2007|access-date=12 February 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080215001040/http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/un-set-key-death-penalty-vote-20071209|archive-date=15 February 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1212297|title=Directorate of Communication – The global campaign against the death penalty is gaining momentum – Statement by Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe|publisher=Wcd.coe.int|date=16 November 2007|access-date=12 December 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028025126/https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1212297|archive-date=28 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/ga/news/news.asp?NewsID=24679&Cr=general&Cr1=assembly |title=UN General Assembly – News Stories |publisher=Un.org |access-date=12 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109035000/http://www.un.org/ga/news/news.asp?NewsID=24679&Cr=general&Cr1=assembly |archive-date=9 January 2009 }}</ref>

Again in 2008, a large majority of states from all regions adopted, on 20 November in the UN General Assembly (Third Committee), a second resolution calling for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty; 105 countries voted in support of the draft resolution, 48 voted against and 31 abstained.

The moratorium resolution has been presented for a vote each year since 2007. On 15 December 2022, 125 countries voted in support of the moratorium, with 37 countries opposing, and 22 abstentions. The countries voting against the moratorium included the United States, People's Republic of China, North Korea, and Iran.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Marcus |first1=Josh |title='Inhumane': Critics slam US vote against UN resolution condemning death penalty |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/united-states-un-vote-death-denalty-b2246231.html |access-date=30 January 2023 |work=The Independent |date=15 December 2022}}</ref>

A range of amendments proposed by a small minority of pro-death penalty countries were overwhelmingly defeated. It had in 2007 passed a non-binding resolution (by 104 to 54, with 29 abstentions) by asking its member states for "a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN1849885920071218|title=U.N. Assembly calls for moratorium on death penalty|work=Reuters|date=18 December 2007|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417030913/http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN1849885920071218|archive-date=17 April 2009}}</ref>

[[File:04CFREU-Article2-Crop.jpg|thumb|Article 2 of the [[Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union]] affirms the prohibition on capital punishment in the EU.]]
A number of regional conventions prohibit the death penalty, most notably, the Protocol 6 (abolition in time of peace) and Protocol 13 (abolition in all circumstances) to the European Convention on Human Rights. The same is also stated under Protocol 2 in the [[American Convention on Human Rights]], which, however, has not been ratified by all countries in the Americas, most notably Canada<ref>The reason Canada has not ratified the Convention does not appear to be related to capital punishment, but because the Convention's provision on abortion is likely not consistent with the legal position in Canada relating to abortion: [https://blogs.mcgill.ca/humanrightsinterns/2019/06/23/abortion-in-the-americas-article-41-of-the-american-convention-on-human-rights/ Kelly O'Connor, "Abortion in the Americas: Article 4(1) of the American Convention on Human Rights"]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202224059/https://blogs.mcgill.ca/humanrightsinterns/2019/06/23/abortion-in-the-americas-article-41-of-the-american-convention-on-human-rights/ |date=2 December 2021 }}.</ref> and the United States. Most relevant operative international treaties do not require its prohibition for cases of serious crime, most notably, the [[International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights]]. This instead has, in common with several other treaties, an optional protocol prohibiting capital punishment and promoting its wider abolition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr-death.htm |title=Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR |access-date=8 December 2007 |publisher=Office of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071121143327/http://www.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr-death.htm |archive-date=21 November 2007 }}</ref>

Several international organizations have made abolition of the death penalty (during time of peace, or in all circumstances) a requirement of membership, most notably the EU and the [[Council of Europe]]. The Council of Europe are willing to accept a [[Moratorium (law)|moratorium]] as an interim measure. Thus, while [[Capital punishment in Russia|Russia]] was a member of the Council of Europe, and the death penalty remains codified in its law, it has not made use of it since becoming a member of the council – Russia has not executed anyone since 1996. With the exception of Russia (abolitionist in practice) and Belarus (retentionist), all European countries are classified as abolitionist.<ref name="amnesty.org"/>

[[Capital punishment in Latvia|Latvia]] abolished {{lang|la|de jure}} the death penalty for war crimes in 2012, becoming the last EU member to do so.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/death-penalty/death-sentences-and-executions-in-2012 |title=The Death Penalty in 2012 |publisher=Amnesty International |date=9 April 2013 |access-date=11 February 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029232445/http://www.amnesty.org/en/death-penalty/death-sentences-and-executions-in-2012 |archive-date=29 October 2013 }}</ref>

Protocol 13 to the [[European Convention on Human Rights]] calls for the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances (including for war crimes). The majority of European countries have signed and ratified it. Some European countries have not done this, but all of them except Belarus have now abolished the death penalty in all circumstances ({{lang|la|de jure}}, and Russia {{lang|la|de facto}}). [[Armenia]] is the most recent country to ratify the protocol, on 19 October 2023.<ref>{{cite web|language=en |url=https://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list?module=signatures-by-treaty&treatynum=187 |title=Chart of signatures and ratifications of Treaty 187
 |access-date=14 September 2024 }}</ref>

Protocol 6, which prohibits the death penalty during peacetime, has been ratified by all members of the Council of Europe. It had been signed but not ratified by Russia at the time of its expulsion in 2022.

[[File:ICCPR-OP2 members.svg|thumb|upright=1.15|Signatories to the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR: parties in dark green, signatories in light green, non-members in grey]]
There are also other international abolitionist instruments, such as the [[Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights]], which has 90 parties;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-12&chapter=4 |title=UNTC |publisher=Treaties.un.org |access-date=11 February 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104212752/https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-12&chapter=4 |archive-date=4 January 2014}}</ref> and the Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights to Abolish the Death Penalty (for the Americas; ratified by 13 states).<ref>{{cite web |author=Francisco J Montero |url=http://www.oas.org/juridico/english/sigs/a-53.html |title=:: Multilateral Treaties – Department of International Law – |publisher=OAS |access-date=11 February 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140507100541/http://www.oas.org/juridico/english/sigs/a-53.html |archive-date=7 May 2014}}</ref>

In [[Turkey]], over 500 people were sentenced to death after the [[1980 Turkish coup d'état]]. About 50 of them were executed, the last one 25 October 1984.<!--- Hidir Aslan ---> Then there was a ''de facto'' moratorium on the death penalty in Turkey. As a move [[Accession of Turkey to the European Union|towards EU membership]], Turkey made some legal changes. The death penalty was removed from peacetime law by [[Grand National Assembly of Turkey|the National Assembly]] in August 2002, and in May 2004 Turkey amended [[Constitution of Turkey|its constitution]] to remove capital punishment in all circumstances. It ratified Protocol 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights in February 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Death Penalty Cannot be Reinstated in Turkey |url=https://www.fidh.org/en/region/europe-central-asia/turkey/death-penalty-cannot-be-reinstated-in-turkey |access-date=2024-04-22 |website=International Federation for Human Rights |language=en}}</ref> As a result, Europe is a continent free of the death penalty in practice, all states, having ratified Protocol 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights, with the exceptions of Russia (which has entered a moratorium) and [[Capital punishment in Belarus|Belarus]], which are not members of the Council of Europe.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}} The [[Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe]] has been lobbying for Council of Europe observer states who practice the death penalty, the U.S. and Japan, to abolish it or lose their observer status. In addition to banning capital punishment for EU member states, the EU has also banned detainee transfers in cases where the receiving party may seek the death penalty.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Droege |first=Cordula |date=September 2008 |title=Transfers of detainees: legal framework, non-refoulement and contemporary challenges |url=https://www.icrc.org/en/doc/assets/files/other/irrc-871-droege2.pdf |journal=International Review of the Red Cross |volume=90 |issue=871 |pages=669–701|doi=10.1017/S1560775508000102 }}</ref>

{{multiple image
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[[Sub-Saharan Africa]]n countries that have recently abolished the death penalty include [[Burundi]], which abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 2009,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/burundi-abolishes-death-penalty-bans-homosexuality-20090427 |title=Burundi abolishes the death penalty but bans homosexuality |publisher=Amnesty International |access-date=11 February 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140218040338/http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/burundi-abolishes-death-penalty-bans-homosexuality-20090427 |archive-date=18 February 2014}}</ref> and [[Gabon]] which did the same in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.handsoffcain.info/archivio_news/index.php?iddocumento=15302086&mover=0 |title=Death Penalty: Hands Off Cain Announces Abolition in Gabon |publisher=Handsoffcain.info |access-date=11 February 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225204443/http://www.handsoffcain.info/archivio_news/index.php?iddocumento=15302086&mover=0 |archive-date=25 February 2014}}</ref> On 5 July 2012, [[Benin]] became part of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which prohibits the use of the death penalty.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.handsoffcain.info/bancadati/schedastato.php?idstato=17000190 |title=HANDS OFF CAIN against death penalty in the world |publisher=Handsoffcain.info |access-date=11 February 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225204334/http://www.handsoffcain.info/bancadati/schedastato.php?idstato=17000190 |archive-date=25 February 2014}}</ref>

The newly created [[South Sudan]] is among the 111 UN member states that supported the resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly that called for the removal of the death penalty, therefore affirming its opposition to the practice. South Sudan, however, has not yet abolished the death penalty and stated that it must first amend its Constitution, and until that happens it will continue to use the death penalty.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article46452 |title=South Sudan says death penalty remains until constitution amended – Sudan Tribune: Plural news and views on Sudan |work=Sudan Tribune |access-date=11 February 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228053742/http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article46452 |archive-date=28 February 2014}}</ref>

Among non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Amnesty International and [[Human Rights Watch]] are noted for their opposition to capital punishment.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Death Penalty|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/death-penalty/|access-date=1 September 2021|website=Amnesty International|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=10 October 2010|title=Lebanon: Don't Resurrect the Death Penalty|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2010/10/10/lebanon-dont-resurrect-death-penalty|url-status=live|access-date=1 September 2021|website=Human Rights Watch|language=en|quote=Human Rights Watch opposes the death penalty in all cases as a violation of fundamental rights – the right to life and the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925203618/https://www.hrw.org/news/2010/10/10/lebanon-dont-resurrect-death-penalty |archive-date=25 September 2015 }}</ref> A number of such NGOs, as well as trade unions, local councils, and bar associations, formed a [[World Coalition Against the Death Penalty]] in 2002.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Presentation & History|url=https://worldcoalition.org/who-we-are/presentation-history/|access-date=1 September 2021|website=WCADP|language=en-US}}</ref>

An open letter led by Danish Member of the [[European Parliament]], Karen Melchior was sent to the European Commission ahead of the 26 January 2021 meeting of the Bahraini Minister of Foreign Affairs, [[Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani]] with the members of the [[European Union]] for the signing of a Cooperation Agreement. A total of 16 MEPs undersigned the letter expressing their grave concern towards the extended abuse of [[human rights in Bahrain]] following the arbitrary arrest and detention of activists and critics of the government. The attendees of the meeting were requested to demand from their Bahraini counterparts to take into consideration the concerns raised by the MEPs, particularly for the release of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja and Sheikh Mohammed Habib Al-Muqdad, the two European-Bahraini dual citizens on death row.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.adhrb.org/2021/01/16-meps-urge-bahrain/|title=16 MEPs Urge Bahrain to Release EU-Bahraini Dual Nationals and End Death Penalty Ahead of Brussels Meeting|access-date=25 January 2021|website=Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain|date=25 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://karenmelchior.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Letter-from-MEPs-on-human-rights-abuses-in-Bahrain-in-light-of-EU-cooperation-agreement.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221010/https://karenmelchior.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Letter-from-MEPs-on-human-rights-abuses-in-Bahrain-in-light-of-EU-cooperation-agreement.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-10 |url-status=live|title=Letter from MEPs on Human Rights Abuses in Bahrain in Light of EU Cooperation Agreement|access-date=22 January 2021|website=European Parliament}}</ref>