Biennial high-level panel on 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 JST Costa Rica (28.02.2023)

52nd session of the Human Rights Council

Biennial high-level panel on 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 - Viceminister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica on behalf of a group of countries.

 

                                                                           [check against delivery]

28th February 

 

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,

 

Co-sponsors:

  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. Italy
  26. Israel
  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. United Kingdom
  52. Ukraine
  53. United States
  54. Uruguay