This report summarizes a 27 pages document (8688 words), The Death Penalty
Worldwide Developments in 2007 (AI Index: ACT 50/002/2008) issued by Amnesty
International in April 2007.
In 2007 the world continued to move closer to the universal abolition of the
capital punishment. Historical landmark towards the worldwide abolition of death
penalty is the resolution on moratorium on executions endorsed by the United
Nations 62nd General Assembly on 18 December 2007. 104 UN member states
voted in favour of the ground-breaking resolution. 54 countries voted against, while
29 abstained. The resolution was supported by 87 governments from all regions of
the world, as well as by NGOs including the World Coalition against the Death
Penalty, the Community of Sant’Egidio, Hands Off Cain and Amnesty International.