The United States joined the following Joint Statement at the 52nd Session of the Human Rights Council
52nd Session of the Human Rights Council
Biennial High-Level Panel on the Death Penalty
Theme: Human Rights Violations Relating to the use of the Death Penalty,
in Particular with Respect to Limiting the Death Penalty to the Most Serious Crimes
Joint Statement
Delivered by H.E. Christian Guillermet – Vice-minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica
On behalf of a group of countries
Mr. President,
I deliver this statement on behalf of a cross regional group of countries.
In light of today’s discussion related to limiting the death penalty to the most serious crimes– we recall States’ obligations under the ICCPR, under which countries that have not yet abolished the death penalty, can only apply it for offences that amount to “the most serious crimes”, and observing the procedural guarantees prescribed in the Covenant. All detainees are entitled to the right to a fair hearing by an independent tribunal, the presumption of innocence, access to a lawyer and other minimum guarantees for the defence, and the right to review by a higher tribunal.
We are deeply concerned by the use of the death penalty in Iran. Several hundred people were reportedly executed in Iran between 2022 and 2023, including juvenile offenders.
In recent months, Iran has handed down or sought to impose death sentences against dozens of individuals arrested in connection with their participation in protests following the death in custody of Jina Mahsa Amini.
We are concerned by the nature of the offences for which the death penalty was applied the speed of the trials, lack of transparency, and credible reports that defendants did not have proper access to lawyers of their choosing and were subject to torture or other inhumane treatment.
The death penalty must not be instrumentalised by any State to punish individuals participating in protests and to strike fear into the population with the aim of chilling dissent.
We note the High Commissioner’s call on Iran “to respect the lives and voices of its people, to impose an immediate moratorium on the death penalty and to halt all executions”, and urge Iran to cooperate with all UN human rights mechanisms, including the Council’s Fact-Finding Mission.
Thank you,
1. Albania
2. Andorra
3. Australia
4. Austria
5. Belgium
6. Bosnia
7. Bulgaria
8. Canada
9. Colombia
10. Costa Rica
11. Chile
12. Croatia
13. Cyprus
14. Czechia
15. Denmark
16. Ecuador
17. Estonia
18. Finland
19. France
20. Germany
21. Greece
22. Hungary
23. Iceland
24. Ireland
25. Israel
26. Italy
27. Latvia
28. Liechtenstein
29. Lithuania
30. Luxembourg
31. Malta
32. Marshall Islands
33. Moldova
34. Monaco
35. Montenegro
36. Netherlands
37. New Zealand
38. North Macedonia
39. Norway
40. Paraguay
41. Peru
42. Poland
43. Portugal
44. Romania
45. San Marino
46. Spain
47. Slovenia
48. Slovakia
49. Sweden
50. Switzerland
51. Ukraine
52. UK
53. Uruguay
54. United States of America