UNGA resolution Moratorium on the use of the death penalty
As individuals and organizations who represent diverse religious, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds, we stand united in our goal of promoting freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, and expression for everyone.
We firmly oppose laws that restrict an individual’s right to choose a faith, practice a faith, change their religion, not have a religion, tell others about their beliefs and practices, or openly debate and discuss aspects of faith or belief. Restricting the freedom to choose one’s religion, to change it or to question religion or belief doctrines is an assault on the very core of human nature.
Today at least 70 countries criminalise blasphemy and at least 21 countries criminalize apostasy, including 12 countries which maintain the death penalty for apostasy or blasphemy in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Brunei Darussalam, Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Maldives, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, several states in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Federal Republic of Somalia, United Arab Emirates, and the Republic of Yemen.[1]
Even where the death penalty is not applied it has a chilling effect on the legitimate exercise of fundamental human rights as noted by the UN Secretary General in his report on the death penalty.[2] It is used to justify the incommunicado detention, physical and psychological torture, denial of legal representation and medical care, and prolonged detention that often coincide with death sentences on the grounds of religion or belief.
The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief has recommended a “triage-based approach” in the work to repeal apostasy and blasphemy laws; prioritizing the repeal of those laws that “put lives at risk,” such as countries which mandate the death penalty or life sentences.[3]
We therefore call on civil society to:
- Support the embedding of language into the biennial UN General Assembly resolution on the Moratorium on the use of the death penalty, demanding the removal of the punishment of the death penalty, both in practice and in law, for apostasy or blasphemy.
- Take note of the UN Human Rights Council statement of 9 March 2021, signed by over 50 UN member states which emphasises that there are no circumstances in which the death penalty should ever be imposed or carried out as a sanction against persons for exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms.
- To speak with one voice in the UN and other multilateral fora and condemn unequivocally the imposition of the death penalty for the exercise of fundamental freedoms including freedom of religion or belief.
We call on States to:
- Embed language into the biennial UN General Assembly resolution on the Moratorium on the use of the death penalty, demanding the removal of the punishment of the death penalty, both in practice and in law, for apostasy or blasphemy.
- Take note of the UN Human Rights Council statement of 9 March 2021, signed by over 50 UN member states which emphasises that there are no circumstances in which the death penalty should ever be imposed or carried out as a sanction against persons for exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms.
- Release individuals currently on death row or otherwise imprisoned for these offences.
- Speak with one voice in the UN and other multilateral fora and condemn unequivocally the imposition of the death penalty for the exercise of fundamental freedoms including freedom of religion or belief.
Organization Signatories
Adyan Foundation
Alliance of Former Muslims (Ireland)
Asian Children’s Education Fellowship
Baptist World Alliance
CaoDai Today
Center for Pluralism
Christian Freedom International
Church in Chains
Coordination des Associations et des Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience
Coptic Solidarity
Eglise Protestante d’Algérie (Association of Protestant Churches of Algeria)
Eleos Justice
European Office Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights
Ex-Muslims of North America
Forum for Religious Freedom – Europe
Foundation for Religious Freedom
Fundacion para la Mejora de la Vida, la Cultura y la Sociedad
Genocide Watch
Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust
International Human Rights Committee
International Institute for Religious Freedom
International Religious Liberty Association
Jubilee Campaign Netherlands
Jubilee Campaign USA
LEAH Foundation
Lumières Sans Frontières
Minority Concern
Muslims for Progressive Values
Prayer Pioneers
Rumi Forum
Set My People Free
Tahrir Alnisa Foundation
Voice for Justice
Widows and Orphans
World Evangelical Alliance
Individual Signatories
Ann Buwalda
Executive Director
Jubilee Campaign
Joël Voordewind
Former Member
House of Representatives of the Netherlands
Jenny Noyes
Executive Director
New Wineskins Missionary Network
Paul Marshall
Wilson Professor of Religious Freedom
Baylor University
Paul Diamond
UK Barrister
Ibrahim Anli
Executive Director
Rumi Forum
Father John Anderson
President
Saint Nicholas Freedom Group
Kola Alapinni, Esq.
Barrister & Solicitor, Supreme Court of Nigeria
General Counsel and Director of Operations,
Foundation for Religious Freedom
Paul Marshall
Wilson Professor
Baylor University
Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mkhaitir
Mauritanian survivor of sentencing for apostasy
Dr. Muhammad Khalid Masud
Former Director General, Islamic Research Institute, International Islamic University, Islamabad
Former Chairman, Council of Islamic Ideology, Pakistan
Former Academic Director, International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World
Current Ad Hoc Member, Shariat Appellate Bench, Supreme Court of Pakistan
Hari Parekh
Author
“Apostates as a Hidden Population of Abuse Victims”
John Ghanim
Yemeni Ex-Muslim
Current Follower of Christ
Kamal Fahmi
Founder
Set My People Free
Reverend Youssef Ourahmane
Vice President
Eglise Protestante d’Algérie (Association of Protestant Churches of Algeria)
Felix Ukaegbu
Principal Counsel
Fred Williams
Nigerian Peace Activist & Film Producer
Baroness Caroline Cox
Founder, Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust
Independent Member, United Kingdom House of Lords
Dr. Thomas Schirrmacher
Archbishop, Secretary General
World Evangelical Alliance
Dennis Petri
International Director
International Institute for Religious Freedom (IIRF)
Kareem Muhssin
Spokesperson
Alliance of Former Muslims (Ireland)
Ahmed Hassan Aliyu
Shepherd Care Family Health and Education Initiative
Hassan Nuhu
Greg Mitchell
Co-Chair, International Religious Freedom Roundtable
Founder, The Mitchell Firm
Founder, International Religious Freedom Secretariat
Nadine Maenza
Former Chair, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)
President, International Religious Freedom Secretariat
Dr. Ahmed Shaheed
Professor of International Human Rights Law, University of Essex
Former United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief
M.T. Hengst, LL.M.
Lauren Homer
President
Law and Liberty Trust
Scott Morgan
President
Red Eagle Enterprises
Patrice Pederson
President
First Freedom Foundation
Dr. Ewelina Ochab
Human Rights Advocate
Ivan Arjona Pelado
President
European Office Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights
Dr. Gloria Samdi Puldu
President
LEAH Foundation
Bryan Nerren
President
Asian Children’s Education Fellowship
Nayla Tabbara
President
Adyan Foundation
Scott Stearman
UN Representative
Baptist World Alliance
Harris Sultan
Activist
Armeia Dawood
Bill Flavell
United Kingdom
Anthony Clifford
Australia
Greg Nkhamanga
Malawi
Thomas Kuruvilla
India
Al-Ameen Adeola
Student
Nigeria
Darrell Dugas
Canada
Anthony Anane
United Kingdom
Ayesha Raja
United Kingdom
Gilbert Alabi Diche
Nigeria
Rouf Gazali
Barrister
Nigeria
Samuel Joshua
Nigeria
Taiye Abu
Nigeria
Mikael Jespersen
Denmark
Andrew Kirkup
Australia
Jean Ceinture
United States
Dr. Emmanuel Ashom
Nigeria
Marco Munna
Italy
Skarphendinn Holm
Norway
Magid Girgis
United States
Sara Ghaboush
United States
Aaron Rhodes
President
Forum for Religious Freedom – Europe
Victoria Sheahan
Chaplain Reverend
CaoDai Today
Footnotes
[1] UN General Assembly, Interim report of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Ahmed Shaheed Elimination of all forms of religious intolerance, 10 December 2020, A/75/385, para. 16.
[2] Human Rights Council, Capital punishment and the implementation of the safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty, 28 August 2019,
A/HRC/42/28, para. 13; UN General Assembly, Moratorium on the use of the death penalty – Report of the Secretary General, 13 August 2020, A/75/309, para. 66.
[3] UN Human Rights Council, Freedom of religion or belief*, ** Report of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, 5 March 2019, A/HRC/40/58, para. 59.