News Brief — United Nations Passes Resolution Calling for Global Death Penalty Moratorium

For the eighth time since 2007, the United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution calling for a global moratorium on executions. The resolution passed on November 17, 2020 by a vote of 120-39 with 24 countries abstaining. The United States voted against the resolution. The 120 nations supporting the measure matched the record level of support set in 2018. For the first time, the resolution specifically identified women among the groups discriminated against in the application of the death penalty.