The US was joined by 36 other countries in opposing a resolution that comes up every two years
Alli Sullivan (left) of Portland, Oregon, participates in a vigil against the death penalty in front of the US Supreme Court on June 29, 2021, in Washington, DC. (Photo: AFP)
When the UN General Assembly passed a resolution on Dec. 15 to establish a worldwide "moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty," the US continued its practice of voting against it.
The US was joined by 36 other countries in opposing a resolution that comes up every two years. This year, 125 countries voted in favor of it and 22 countries did not vote.
"It is past time that the US join the supermajority of countries who vote in favor of a universal death penalty moratorium," said Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, executive director of Catholic Mobilizing Network, noting that overall support for this action has "grown consistently over the years."
"Disappointingly, the US retained its historical vote of 'no,'" she said in an email to Catholic News Service.
"We have work to do in the United States," she said, regarding the continued use of the death penalty amid calls to end capital punishment that reflects "a growing consensus -- not just among Catholics, but among all people of goodwill -- who recognize that capital punishment is irreparably broken."
Vaillancourt Murphy pointed out that the Vatican "has long supported a UN death penalty moratorium resolution."
She said Pope Francis has consistently spoken about it and in September, he announced the global abolition of the death penalty as his official prayer intention for the month.
Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, told Newsweek magazine that the US vote against the resolution "put us in the same league, with Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, China, North Korea and Vietnam."
"As a country, we pride ourselves on a commitment to human rights and the commitment to the dignity of all individuals. To be aligned with the actions of a country that actively repudiates those values creates a significant problem," he said.
Although UN members are not bound to follow resolutions passed by the General Assembly, a US vote in favor of this resolution would have sent a message, Dunham noted, stressing that it would have given President Joe Biden "an unparalleled opportunity to make a statement in favor of human rights with his vote."
Help us keep UCA News independent
The Church in Asia needs objective and independent journalism to speak the truth about the Church and the state.
With a network of professionally qualified journalists and editors across Asia, UCA News is just about meeting that need. But professionalism does not come cheap. We depend on you, our readers, to help maintain our independence and seek that truth.
A small donation of US$2 a month would make a big difference in our quest to achieve our goal.
Share your comments
SPECIAL EBOOKS
