Global Parliament of Mayors calls for moratorium on death penalty in cities

The Hague, November 27, 2017 – The death penalty is an unusually cruel and inhumane form of punishment. It constitutes a violation of the right to life and the right to live free of torture. The death penalty is often used politically, applied with an unequal hand in various judicial systems and demonstrably fails to deter crime. The Global Parliament of Mayors rejects the continued application of laws and practices subjecting inmates to execution. It calls for an international moratorium on the practice in all cities.

The Global Parliament of Mayors joins the continuing international movement agitating against the practice of executing prisoners. Although the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights calls for the restriction of capital punishment to only the “most serious crimes”, more than 160 nation states have either abolished or suspended its application within their jurisdictions. The UN has issued a range of protocols, resolutions and statements urging the phasing out of the death penalty.

The Global Parliament of Mayors believes that the death penalty has no place in twenty first century society. The Global Parliament of Mayors encourages mayors in the 32 countries and territories where the death penalty continues to be applied, to call for national laws to phase out the practice with immediate effect and to be aligned with international standards.

In particular, the Global Parliament of Mayors condemns the use of the death penalty against same-sex relations, persons with mental and intellectual disabilities, individuals below the age of 18 and pregnant women. It commends the 27 nations that voted in favor of resolution 36/L.6 of the 36th Session of the Human Rights Council in September 2017, and encourages the rapid implementation of the provisions therein.

The Global Parliament is committed to creating safe and secure communities that guarantee the human rights of all residents. All city dwellers must have the right to live their lives under the principles of fairness, equality, self-determination, and dignity.