UNITED NATIONS: The General Assembly of the United Nations passed a nonbinding resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty, overcoming protests from a bloc of states, including Pakistan, that said it undermined their sovereignty.
The resolution, which calls for “a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty,” was passed by a 126 to 37 vote, with 24 abstentions.
The Third Committee of the 193-member body — which deals with social, humanitarian and cultural issues — had approved the draft resolution which will now come up for the General Assembly’s endorsement next month.
The draft resolution calls on states to suspend executions, with a view to abolition, and asks that countries restrict their use of capital punishment, share information about the sentencing and executions they carry out and respect international standards to protect people facing execution.
The Czech Republic, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said they pushed for the draft resolution believing capital punishment failed to deter criminal behaviour.
Justice systems are run by humans and are, therefore, exposed to mistakes and aggravated by social stigmas and political pressure, particularly in countries with no independent judiciary, the EU statement said.
The death penalty primarily affects poorer persons and those belonging to marginalized groups, it added.
After several countries called the draft flawed in attempting to reinterpret existing human rights instruments, it was adopted following the approval of an amendment, which garnered 103 votes in favour to 68 against, with 13 abstentions.
The amendment affirmed, “the sovereign right of all countries to develop their own legal systems, including determining appropriate legal penalties, in accordance with their international law obligations”.
Pakistan voted in favour of the amendment, but cast a negative vote on the full draft resolution.
Explaining his vote, Muhammad Rashid, third secretary at Pakistan’s mission to the UN, said that while the amendment has been adopted, Islamabad does not agree with the overall framework of the resolution.
Noting that there was no consensus for or against the death penalty, he said every country has an inalienable right to decide its own laws, recalling that the International Covenant on Civil and Political rights allows for the death penalty in a manner consistent with a state’s law and judicial processes.
“Death penalty when applied in accordance with due process of law and judicial safeguards, does not infringe on any other human right,” Rashid said, adding that the right to life must be protected for the victims of horrific and most serious crimes as well.”
Pakistan’s national legislation was in line with international law, especially international human rights law, Rashid said. The death penalty is only applied after adhering to the full due process of law, pursuant to a final judgment rendered by a competent court, and with the right to seek pardon or appeal for commutation, he added.
