What is UN’s "Safeguards"?

In 1984 UN introduced 9 so-called "safeguards", to protect the rights of prisoners sentenced to death. UN recommends that countries that use death penalty include these rules in their legislation. The main purpose of the 9 safeguards is to reduce the use of death penalty in the countries that still uses it.

"Safeguards Guaranteeing Protection of the Rights of Those Facing the Death Penalty" recommends:

That death penalty can only be used to punish the very most serious crimes in countries that have not abolished it.

- That death penalty is only sentenced for crimes that prescribes it.

- If legislation is later changed to sentence milder punishments, the prisoner should get his sentence reduced.

- That minors are not sentenced to death. Pregnant women or women who have just given birth should not be sentenced to death and neither should mentally deranged people.

- That the accused person should only be sentenced to death if there is very clear evidence against him that leaves absolutely no doubt about his guilt.

- That death penalty is imposed after a fair trial.

- That any prisoner sentenced to death shall have the right to appeal the sentence to a court that is superior to the one in which it was decided.

- That the prisoner shall have opportunity to petition for mercy or reduction of the sentence.

- That the death penalty is no carried out as long as an appeal case is going on.

- That the execution is done with as little suffering as possible.


What is Amnesty International’s opinion on death penalty?

Amnesty International’s main object is the protection of the human rights as described in the declaration of human rights. Amnesty International is against death penalty and works for the total abolition of it. The organization works out an annual report on the protection of human rights all over the world, including death penalty.