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The Advocates for Human Rights has submitted a paper regarding moratoria on the death penalty in the U.S. to the United Nations Office of the High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR). The OHCHR requested information on implementation of U.N. General Assembly Resolution 62/149, Moratorium on the Use of the Death Penalty for consideration in the drafting of a report on the death penalty to be submitted by the U.N. Secretary-General to the General Assembly at its 63rd session this year.
Resolution 62/149 (adopted December 2007) calls upon states that still maintain the death penalty:
 
"(a) To respect international standards that provide safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty, in particular the minimum standards, as set out in the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1984/50 of 25 May 1984;
 
(b) To provide the Secretary-General with information relating to the use of capital punishment and the observance of the safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty;
 
(c) To progressively restrict the use of the death penalty and reduce the number of offences for which it may be imposed;
 
(d) To establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty;
 
3. Calls upon States which have abolished the death penalty not to reintroduce it;"
 
The Advocates would like to acknowledge the time, expertise and dedication of Richard M. Martinez and Keala C. Ede of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP in researching and drafting this report. Also, The Advocates would like to thank Elizabeth Powers for her assistance.
 
Please click here to read the report.