1 March 2009 -- is International Death Penalty Abolition Day, a day that marks the occasion in 1847 when the state of Michigan became the first English-speaking territory in the world to abolish capital punishment. The death penalty is a violation of human rights, as stated in Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In 2008, there were 2,390 known executions in 25 countries. In December, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights adopted a resolution calling on African states to observe a moratorium on the death penalty. As laudable as an Africa-wide moratorium would be, it would have a small impact on the global number of executions. Five countries, none of which are in Africa, were responsible for 93% of executions in 2008.

Can you guess which countries?

Click here to find out.

International law related to capital punishment is evolving. There is currently only one universal treaty banning executions and aiming for the total abolition of the death penalty: The Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The Protocol requires states that have ratified it to renounce definitely the use of the death penalty. It was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations by Resolution 44/128 on 15 December 1989. As of March 2009, it has been ratified by 71 states and signed by 35 others.

Sources: Amnesty International, World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, UN Treaty Collection
 

Selected learning materials

Study Guide on the Right to Life
This guide provides a brief introduction into safeguards to protect the human rights to life, including international standards against the death penalty and extra-judicial killings.

Death Penalty Curricula for High School
This curriculum addresses history of the death penalty, arguments for and against, court cases on the death penalty and additional resources. The site includes two sample units plans for teachers. Each of the units involves an extensive amount of group work, simulations, persuasive and individual essay writing, and class participation.

International standards on the death penalty
This document gives extracts of international and regional instruments (treaties, declarations) relevant to the abolition or restriction of the death penalty, arranged by subject. Among other things, the instruments set forth safeguards and restrictions on the death penalty. The appendix of this document includes the texts of the relevant sections of the instruments.

International treaties to abolish the death penalty:

- Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Aiming at the Abolition of the Death Penalty (1989)

- Protocol No. 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights (1983)

- Protocol No. 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights (2002)

- Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights to Abolish the Death Penalty (1990)

Useful Links

Declaration by Senator Feingold in the United States Congress marking the first International Abolition Day, 1 March 2000

World Coalition Against the Death Penalty

Council of Europe Theme File on Death Penalty

Amnesty International Website Against the Death Penalty

Amnesty International-USA's Program to Abolish the Death Penalty

The Death Penalty in the United States (Human Rights Watch)

Death Penalty Information Center (USA)