Oral Statement to the 58th Session of the Human Rights Council
- News
- 25 Feb 2025
The Death Penalty Project, in partnership with the Death Penalty Research Unit at the University of Oxford, today delivered this joint oral statement to the 58th Session of the Human Rights Council:
Thank you, Mr President.
For three decades, we have initiated or supported legal challenges to limit the scope and application of the death penalty in over 30 countries. The judiciary have played a vital role in protecting the fundamental rights of those sentenced to death, saving many hundreds from execution.
Courts in Commonwealth Africa and the Caribbean for example, have struck down death penalty statutes and practices found to be unconstitutional in accordance with evolving human rights standards. We have seen the courts abolish the use of mandatory death sentencing; address death row syndrome and delay; as well as ensure due process safeguards in relation to clemency and the power of pardon. This has led to a remarkable reduction in both death sentences imposed and death row populations.
Whilst the role of the judiciary in developing progressive restrictions on the use of capital punishment has been important, complete abolition by the courts is rare. Amongst 128 countries that have abolished the death penalty, fewer than ten have done so through the judicial branch. The final act to abolish often needs to be taken by political actors, who have the courage and will to consign the death penalty to history.
Without this final step, the death penalty can become entrenched under abolitionist de facto status. In some of these countries, sentences continue to be imposed if not inflicted, but with the ever-present threat of a resumption of executions if circumstances change. Ending the death penalty sends a powerful message that a country seeks to advance human rights as a fundamental principle.
Eight weeks ago, Zimbabwe became the most recent country to abolish the death penalty, almost twenty years after its last execution. We call upon all abolitionist de facto states, like Zimbabwe, to take this final step in removing capital punishment from their laws.
We invite the panel to consider this question:
What role can the international community play in supporting countries to take this final step to abolish?
Thank you for your consideration.
