UN Rights Chief Calls for Moratorium on Death Penalty Amid Rising Executions

The UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, has urged for a moratorium and the abolition of the death penalty, citing a “substantial increase” in global executions, Anadolu Agency reported.

Speaking at the Human Rights Council’s biennial high-level panel discussion on the death penalty, Turk stated, “The death penalty is a practice that should have no place in the 21st century.” He emphasized that it contradicts human dignity and the right to life.

In 2023, there were 1,153 executions across 16 countries, marking a 31% rise from 2022 and the highest figure in eight years. The leading countries for executions included Iran, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and the United States. Notably, Turk highlighted that over 40% of these executions were for drug-related offenses, primarily in Iran, which he argued do not meet the international standard for “most serious crimes.”

Despite the alarming increase, Turk noted a growing global opposition to the death penalty, with 113 countries having fully abolished it. He commended Zimbabwe for joining the abolition movement and called on nations still employing capital punishment to consider a moratorium as a step towards abolition. Turk stressed that the death penalty fails to deter crime or serve victims effectively.