Thank you, Mr President,
Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM) welcomes the convening of this high-level panel.
Since the last panel, several States have abolished the death penalty or have taken steps towards abolition. By the end of 2024, 122 States had abolished the death penalty for all crimes or for ordinary crimes. In December 2024, 130 UN member states voted in favour of the resolution for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty.
ECPM is, however, seriously concerned about the worrying developments in certain states. In Iran, in 2024, at least 975 people were executed; this is unacceptable. Furthermore, the fragility of de facto moratoria was brought to the fore by the Democratic Republic of Congo, which announced the resumption of executions and saw a 300% increase in death sentences compared to 2023.
The death penalty primarily targets the most marginalised and vulnerable groups in the population. It also targets minorities and people with psychosocial or intellectual disorders.
In 2026, ECPM will organise the 9th World Congress against the Death Penalty in Paris, with the sponsorship of France and the support of Switzerland. It will be preceded by the 5th Regional Congress on the Death Penalty in Tokyo organised by ECPM in November 2025, in partnership with CPR and ADPAN.
We invite the Member States of the United Nations to participate in the World Congress and hope that this edition will be marked by political announcements in line with the trend towards universal abolition of the death penalty.
Thank you for your attention.
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