INDEX

The ratification campaign for the international protocols on the death penalty is on a roll with three new ratifications since January.

Belgium and the United Nations’ human rights office have held a panel discussion to promote efforts in favour of the strongest international instrument against capital punishment.

On 19 August 2011 the National Assembly of the West African nation of Benin counted 54 votes in favour of ratifying the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights aiming at the abolition of the death penalty, with only 5 votes against and 6 abstentions.

Following one year of lobbying led by the World Coalition, the Central Asian country has become a party to the UN protocol on the abolition of the death penalty.

NGOs and international organisations opposing the death penalty in Arab countries have met in Egypt for the second time. The World Coalition presented them with a new version of its study on abolition in the region.

The World Coalition has been active in Liberia and internationally to bring the West African country back into the abolitionist community.

For 20 years, the United Nations Protocol to abolish the death penalty has been the only universal treaty of worldwide scope to prohibit executions and secure universal abolition of the death penalty for all crimes.

As part of the campaign in favour of the treaty on the abolition of the death penalty, Chile and Spain encouraged the Dominican Republic and the Ivory Coast to ratify the text.

The World Coalition launched its action programme in favour of the UN Protocol to abolish the death penalty on 21 October in Geneva.

On September 25, Brazil became the 72nd state party to the international treaty that abolishes the death penalty without any possibility of reinstating it.