Death knell for the death penalty: a healthy advance.

摘要

On Dec 18, the UN, during a meeting of its General Assembly, voted to abolish the death penalty worldwide. The vote, although non-binding and largely symbolic, is important. Since 1948, when the UN passed its Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirmed that "no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment", 125 countries have abolished the death penalty. The USA stands with such countries as China, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, and Sudan in retaining the penalty.