Deputy Secretary-General, at Headquarters Event, Urges Universal

Abolition of Death Penalty, Moratorium on Executions

 

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson’s opening remarks, as prepared for delivery, for the side event “Moving Away from the Death Penalty”, in New York today:

I thank the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for bringing us together.  I welcome Heads of State and Government who are here to show how much this issue matters at the highest levels of Government.  The Secretary-General sends his most sincere regrets that he was unable to join us today.

The United Nations has a proud record of working to end the death penalty.  Seven years ago, the General Assembly called for a worldwide moratorium.  The Secretary-General’s latest report shows that more and more countries are committed to making this important advance for human rights.  We are seeing substantial progress towards the universal abolition of the death penalty.  This progress is felt in every region and across all legal systems, traditions and religions.

All human rights rest on the right to life, the most fundamental of all rights.  The right to life symbolizes everything that the United Nations works and stands for, be it in the area of peace and security, development or human rights.  Rejecting the act of irreversibly taking someone’s life is an act of embracing belief in human progress and dignity.

We know that in countries that use capital punishment, there are too many individuals being put to death despite legitimate doubts about their guilt, or in hasty circumstances that fail to respect international standards regarding due process.  We cannot accept that so many people are deprived of their lives.  We must continue to argue strongly that the death penalty is unjust and incompatible with fundamental human rights.

Today, we also launch a valuable publication from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights:  Moving Away from the Death Penalty.  It draws on the experiences of officials, academic experts and civil society from various regions.  They have all made contributions towards abolition of the death penalty or the imposition of a moratorium.  They explain how they achieved this and point the way for others to follow.  The publication contains data on wrongful convictions and documents how marginalized groups of people are disproportionately targeted.

When we learn how persons’ race, economic or social status put them at grave risk despite their innocence, we realize we must do much more to fight for justice and against the use of the death penalty.  In particular, strong leadership — the theme of today’s meeting — is indispensable.  That is why the Secretary-General and I today call on those in power to show principled leadership to create a world free of the death penalty. 

Many leaders have recognized the continued risk of executing innocent people.  They acknowledge the discriminatory and arbitrary nature of judicial processes and the danger of the death penalty being used as a tool of political repression.  They know that the death penalty is no deterrent.  They know that depriving a human person of his or her life is incompatible with the kind of society we want in the twenty-first century.  These are all powerful arguments for ending capital punishment.

The Secretary-General and I urge the Heads of States and Governments, where the death penalty still is used, to exercise their legal authority to commute or pardon death sentences, and to impose moratoriums on executions.  These initiatives can pave the way for the full abolition of the death penalty.

I also join the Secretary-General in calling on all States that have not yet done so to ratify the second Optional Protocol of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights aiming at the abolition of the death penalty.  This treaty is a means for States to establish their abolitionist stance through international law.  Ratification on a large scale could create the momentum to ultimately outlaw executions under international law.  Such an aspiration requires a “critical mass” of States parties to the Protocol.  It is, therefore, sincere hope to see many more ratifications before the end of the year, as we observe the Protocol’s twenty-fifth anniversary this year.

I urge States to increase their cooperation with one another and with civil society for advancing the universal abolition of the death penalty.  The United Nations system stands with you to put an end to this cruel practice, spare innocent lives and usher in a more humane and just future.  Let us move away from the death penalty.  In doing so, we “reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person”.

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For information media • not an official record