Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

World

Death penalty has ‘no place in 21st century:’ UN chief

-

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an end to the death penalty Tuesday, insisting it has "no place in the 21st century."

He urged member states that still execute convicts to join the 170 countries that have halted or abolished the practice, warning that the risk of a miscarriage of justice is an "unacceptably high price" to pay.

"I want to make a plea to all states that continue this barbaric practice: please stop the executions," Guterres said at an event marking the 15th World Day Against the Death Penalty.

Capital punishment "does little to serve victims or deter crime," Guterres said, adding that most of the UN's 193 members do not carry out executions.

"Just last month, two African states – The Gambia and Madagascar – took major steps towards irreversible abolition of the death penalty," he said.

"In 2016, executions worldwide were down 37 per cent from 2015. Today just four countries are responsible for 87 per cent of all recorded executions," he added.

Those four countries are China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, a UN official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Guterres also called for transparency from states where the death penalty is legal, asking them to let lawyers do their job.

"Some governments conceal executions and enforce an elaborate system of secrecy to hide who is on death row, and why," Guterres said.

"Others classify information on the death penalty as a state secret, making its release an act of treason."

This lack of transparency "shows a lack of respect for the human rights of those sentenced to death and to their families."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an end to the death penalty Tuesday, insisting it has “no place in the 21st century.”

He urged member states that still execute convicts to join the 170 countries that have halted or abolished the practice, warning that the risk of a miscarriage of justice is an “unacceptably high price” to pay.

“I want to make a plea to all states that continue this barbaric practice: please stop the executions,” Guterres said at an event marking the 15th World Day Against the Death Penalty.

Capital punishment “does little to serve victims or deter crime,” Guterres said, adding that most of the UN’s 193 members do not carry out executions.

“Just last month, two African states – The Gambia and Madagascar – took major steps towards irreversible abolition of the death penalty,” he said.

“In 2016, executions worldwide were down 37 per cent from 2015. Today just four countries are responsible for 87 per cent of all recorded executions,” he added.

Those four countries are China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, a UN official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Guterres also called for transparency from states where the death penalty is legal, asking them to let lawyers do their job.

“Some governments conceal executions and enforce an elaborate system of secrecy to hide who is on death row, and why,” Guterres said.

“Others classify information on the death penalty as a state secret, making its release an act of treason.”

This lack of transparency “shows a lack of respect for the human rights of those sentenced to death and to their families.”

AFP
Written By

With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

You may also like:

World

Immigration is a symptom of a much deeper worldwide problem.

Business

Saudi Aramco President & CEO Amin Nasser speaks during the CERAWeek oil summit in Houston, Texas - Copyright AFP Mark FelixPointing to the still...

Business

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal infers that some workers might be falling out of the job market altogether.

Business

Traveling in NY is already costly, but it just got worse: transit authorities have approved a controversial $15 toll, set to take effect in...