A small step closer to the death of the death penalty?

Posted By Prerna Mankad Wednesday, December 19, 2007 - 11:24 AM Share

WON DAI-YEON/AFP/Getty Images

One hundred and thirty-three countries around the world have abolished the death penalty in law or practice, and last year, only 25 actually carried out executions. On Tuesday, the United Nations General Assembly voted on a resolution to ban executions worldwide. It passed: The General Assembly voted 104-54 with 29 abstentions in favor of the resolution. Anti-capital punishment advocates are hailing the resolution as a major step to the abolition of the death penalty worldwide. Like all UNGA resolutions, the vote is nonbinding, but it does have the symbolic effect of demonstrating broad moral opposition to capital punishment—and it will no doubt help domestic activists who are working toward banning the death penalty in their own countries.

But despite the growing international trend toward abolition, a number of countries stood firm against the vote, including China, Iran, and the United States. Unsurprisingly, these three countries were also on FP's List this week examining the world's top executioners. Check it out.

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