The 2007 World Day Against the Death Penalty will focus on the proposed UN General Assembly resolution for a universal moratorium on executions. The proposal would save lives and give the population of retentionist states an opportunity to see for themselves that a pause in death sentences does not lead to higher crime rates.


A resolution by the UN highest political body would be an important international milestone in the campaign to abolish the death penalty worldwide and would carry considerable moral weight.

Material

Please note the attached WD material is also downloadable on www.worldcoalition.org .

1) International Petition

For the World Day 2007, the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty is launching an Appeal for a worldwide moratorium on executions. Following the five million people who signed the ‘Moratorium 2000’ petition launched by the Community of Sant’Egidio and Amnesty International, the petition invites all governments to work for a world free of executions and call upon the member states of the UN General Assembly to overwhelmingly vote in favour of an international moratorium on executions.

The petition is to be signed on-line on the WCADP website ( www.worldcoalition.org ).

2) Public opinion leaflet

To inform the public and invite everyone to take action, you will find attached a leaflet that:

- presents arguments against the death penalty,

- presents the campaign for a worldwide moratorium on death penalty,

- presents the World Day against the Death penalty,

- invites all citizens and organisations to take action and to sign the international appeal for a worldwide moratorium on executions.

3) Lobbying flyer

A flyer has been prepared for lobbying governments, international organizations, NGOs etc. in support of the UN resolution.

4) Facts and Figures on the death penalty

You will also find a recent update on application of the death penalty worldwide in 2006 in the attached ‘Facts and figures on the death penalty’.