International - The abolition of the death sentence - a couple of fine days

[VincentVan]

Even if not strictly related to drug policies, the news in the last couple of days have been unusually incouraging for all those who value and defend the freedom of individuals of making personal choices out of respect and (why not?) love for their fellow humans.

Today 18 december 2007 the UN General Assembly with a 2/3 majority vote approved a motion proposed by the italian governement and supported by all EU member states, for a worldwide moratorium on death sentences.
From today, according to international law, to sentence a human being to death is no more a right of a nation, but a violation of the rights of men.

The day before, the State of New Jersey, first among the states of the Union, with a bipartisan vote abolished the death sentence for all crimes and explicity recognized as an inuman , ineffectual and inefficient practice.

Against the moratorium voted the USA ambassador, in the company of the representatives of the governements of Iran, Burma (Myanmar), Saudi Arabia, North Corea, Sudan, Syria, China and all the usual suspects.

VV

"We must philosophize about all things differently,
So that the sum of our thoughts will lead us the to the right answers."
(Johannes Kepler)

Reputation Comments on this post:

thanks for the article; very interesting!

[Mint boi]

So that means the death penalty is now a human rights violation does it? So does that mean the death penalty is effectively gone? What happens if the so called "usual suspects" ignore this?

[Isochrist]

This is certainly good news, and a step in the right direction.

I've always been against the death penalty. The way I see it, death is an easy way out. If someone's commited a crime that would warrant the most severe punishment, why not just let the bastard rot in jail?

Death is nothing, jail however, sucks ass.

[Paracelsus]

Waiting for years on death row knowing that you're going to be executed may still be something. Anyways, very good initiative, although I don't think the US (Federal Govt) and the other "usual suspects" will care.

It is ironical that in the US, a main argument for executions is that so-and-so many countries are doing it, while the countries that do it are never mentioned by name.

[Shampoo]

Originally Posted by Paracelsus

I don't think the US (Federal Govt) and the other "usual suspects" will care..

The Federal Government does have an unfortunate track record of ignoring the will of its states and its people....

[zera]

Its a General Assembly directive, which means it doesn't have any power. More of a "rules of decorum" for international nation-states than an actual law. The only binding directives from the UN come out of the Security Council, and there this would never be passed because the US, China and Russia all have veto power.

[VincentVan]

I would'nt be so pessimist Zera & Co.
the US, traditionally, like to see itself and specially be seen by others, as a defender of human rights and exporter of democracy.
It was on the base of such lofty principles that originally was promoted and marketed even the invasion of Iraq.
Russia suspended all death sentences years ago to be part of OCSE (ECSO); and China feels the eyes of the world upon her for a large number of reasons and is doing her best to avoid embarassing situations during the coming olimpycs; besides,China traditionally never makes use of its veto power if left alone and , of course, if she doese'nt feel her national security at risk.

Mint BOI asks what would happen in those nations that will continue executing their citizens.
The answer is that probably nothing would change in beginning but with time they would find themselves in the same situation as those nations who were last in abolishing slavery, or racial segregation.
Once the practice of killing men and women in the name of justice will be generally recognized as cruel and outdated it will go the way of the tribunals of the inquisition.

"...the honourable will abhor them,
The worshipful will reject them,
The yeomen will sharply taunt them,
The husbandmen utterly defy them,
The labouring men bluntly chide them,
The women, with a loud exclamation, wonder at them
and all the children with clapping hands cry out at them,
'these rowsy, ragged rabblement of rakehells."
( Thomas Harman)

Reputation Comments on this post:

Well said