The International Perspective, Part 1

In this two part series, we will look at the issue of the death penalty from an international perspective, specifically how that perspective relates to the United States' use and support of capital punishment. The first part of the series will summarize the positions of other nations and we will also look at international governing bodies and agencies and their doctrine in regards to the death penalty. The second part will focus on how other nations and governing bodies attempt to affect the U.S. position. We will also try to answer the question of whether or not international pressure has an effect on the death penalty and its use in the U.S.

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In 2003, at least 1,146 people were executed in 28 countries. Although these figures are down from 2002 (1,526 people in 31 countries) and 2001 (3,048 people in 31 countries), the accuracy of the figures are questionable due to China's figure of 726 executions possibly being much higher. Of the worldwide executions, 84% of all known executions took place in four countries: China, Iran, Vietnam, and the United States.

In terms of individual countries' laws and practices, the breakdown is as follows:

- 81 countries have abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
- 14 countries have abolished the death penalty for all but the most extreme crimes.
- 23 countries have not used the death penalty in at least 10 years.
- 78 countries retain and still use the death penalty.

Australia, Germany, Italy, Poland, South Africa, and the United Kingdom are notable among abolitionist countries, while India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, South Korea, and Egypt are notable retentionists.

On average, three countries per year since 1976 have abolished the death penalty in practice or by law (either for all crimes or for "ordinary" crimes). However, despite the perceived shift towards abolishment on an international scale, 115 countries (59%) still allow the death penalty in one form or another. Overall, the majority of the world's population lives under a government that allows the death penalty.

As a whole, most international agencies are against the death penalty. Notable and respected organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have strongly condemned the use of capital punishment. Even the self-proclaimed impartial International Committee of the Red Cross is against the death penalty in many circumstances: "A death sentence may not be pronounced on persons under eighteen or carried out on pregnant women or mothers of young children."

The United Nations is a leading proponent of abolition and has set an example by not imposing a death sentence on any international tribunal cases in the past 11 years. These international tribunals often hear the worst-of-the-worst cases such as war crime cases and cases involving genocide and mass executions. In 1948, the General Assembly of the U.N. adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which-while not specifically prohibiting the death penalty-strongly objects to "cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment." Recently, the U.N. Commission on Human Rights called for a worldwide moratorium on the death penalty.