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Battle horse
Since 2006, Belgium has made the fight for the abolition of the death penalty one of its battle horses in terms of human rights on the international scene. In 2019, she highlighted this theme as she presented her candidacy to serve on the CDH from 2023 to 2025. The same year, she hosted the 7th edition of the Congress against the death penalty and, last year, Hadja Lahbib traveled to Berlin for the 8th edition of this meeting. The United Nations has already adopted several resolutions on this subject. In 2021, the Council had approved a text which called on States still applying the death penalty to respect the rules of a fair trial, to authorize a last visit of the family, to return the body, etc. On Tuesday, the CDH once again broached the subject at the initiative of eight countries (Belgium, France, Switzerland, Benin, Mongolia, Costa Rica, Moldova, Mexico).
Strengthened by the global trend towards the abolition of the death penalty, we categorically oppose the death penalty in all circumstances, regardless of the crime committed.
Global trend
“International law is clear: the application of the death penalty must be limited to the most serious crimes, ie intentional homicides. We therefore call on all States that still apply the death penalty to reduce the list of offenses for which the death penalty is provided“said Hadja Lahbib on behalf of the eight countries.”Strengthened by the global trend towards the abolition of the death penalty, we categorically oppose the death penalty in all circumstances, regardless of the crime committed.“.
“An atavistic remnant of the past”
Last year, the General Secretariat of the United Nations produced a report on the death penalty, from which emerged, based on the figures ofAmnesty Internationala increase in the number of confirmed executions in 2021 -579 compared to 483 the year before – in 18 countries of which Saudi Arabia, Iran and Egypt accounted for the largest share, at 80%.
Studies show it has no effect on crime
While the death penalty could only be applied to intentional homicides, it appears that it is also pronounced for acts related to drug trafficking, blasphemy, apostasy, relations between people of the same sex or for economic crimes. A situation deplored on Tuesday by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Völker Turk.
“The death penalty is an atavistic remnant of the past that should be eliminated in the 21st century. Studies show that it has no effect on crime. Focus on the inevitability of the sanction rather than its severity“, he explained. Belgium shares this consideration: “The last panel discussion held in this assembly confirmed that the death penalty has no deterrent effect and therefore in no way contributes to making society safer“, a souligné Hadja Lahbib.
Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib delivers a speech during the opening session of the 52nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, February 27, 2023. © All rights reserved
Zambia and Oregon as good examples
A new report is expected, which will feed into the resolution expected in September. The contributions will be multiple. On Tuesday, on the sidelines of the official session of the HRC, Belgium co-organized a meeting devoted to the role of lawyers in cases where the death penalty is at stake, chaired by British lawyer Helela Kennedy. A particular task, which requires special skills, a team of experts and the support of public opinion, explained American lawyer Robin Maher. And beyond the charges against each of the convicts, each time these cases bring out the same social problems: racial discrimination, extreme poverty, psycho-social problems, etc.
“When we unfold the story of our clients, we see the failure of many policies“, she added. Since the inscription of the right to life in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 75 years ago, 170 States have abolished the death penalty or introduced a moratorium of right or Recently, Zambia repealed it and the Governor of the State of Oregon (USA) decided to commute all death sentences.
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