Secretary-General’s
Video Message on the World Day Against the Death Penalty
New York, 9 October 2014
Your
Excellency, Mr. Maurizio Enrico Luigi Serra, Permanent Representative of Italy
to the United Nations Office in Geneva; Excellencies, Distinguished
human rights officials, Ladies
and Gentlemen,
I thank the European Union and
the Italian Government for this commemoration of the World Day against the
Death Penalty.
Since the General Assembly
adopted its first resolution on a moratorium seven years ago, more States
acknowledge that the death penalty undermines human dignity. It fails to deter
crimes more than other punishments. Abolition – or at least a moratorium –
contributes to human rights.
The taking of life is too
irreversible for one person to inflict on another.
We must continue arguing strongly
that the death penalty is unjust and incompatible with fundamental human
rights.
I urge leaders where the death
penalty still is used to legally commute or pardon death sentences – and to
impose moratoriums on executions.
The death penalty has no place in
the 21st century.
I call on States that have not
yet done so to ratify the Second Optional Protocol of the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights aiming at abolition of the death
penalty.
I hope to see many more
ratifications during the Protocol’s 25th anniversary this year.
The United Nations will continue
working to end this cruel punishment. |
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