With this text, adopted on each occasion by a large majority of States, the UN reaffirms that the use of the death penalty violates human dignity and calls upon all States “to establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty”.
To date, ten resolutions have called for a universal moratorium on executions, with an increasing number of states voting in favour each time. The total number of votes in favour of these resolutions has risen from 104 in 2007 to 130 in 2024, an indication of the global trend towards an end to the death penalty.
The 11th Resolution will be put to the vote at the plenary session of the United Nations General Assembly in December 2026.
Previous vote in December 2024
On 17 December 2024, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) plenary session voted by a very large majority (130) in favour of resolution A/RES/79/179 for a universal moratorium on the use of the death penalty. ECPM analyses the consistency of each vote with national situations.
What weight does the moratorium resolution carry ?
As the resolution is not legally binding, it cannot prevent a state from carrying out an execution or sanction it for doing so. However, a powerful call from the highest political body in the UN carries considerable moral weight and is a valuable tool in the quest for a death penalty-free world.
The 2024 resolution (A/RES/79/179) maintains the provisions introduced in 2022, aimed at strengthening the text and calling on states to ensure better protection for those sentenced to death.
The text emphasises the need to improve conditions in detention for persons on death row, “by evaluating, promoting, protecting and improving their physical and mental health”.
It recognises “the discriminatory application of the death penalty to women”.
It calls on states to guarantee access to a fair trial by ensuring “a fair and public trial and the right to legal assistance” in proceedings that may lead to the imposition of the death penalty. The text also calls for greater transparency regarding the use of capital punishment, in order to eliminate “discriminatory practices or impact”.
The moratorium resolution at a glance
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