Ban Ki-moon urges nations to abolish death penalty

United Nations: As India executed 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon today called on nations who still use the death penalty to abolish the practice. Ban welcomed the adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution passed on Monday which called on member states to establish a moratorium on execution with view to abolishing the death penalty. “The vote offers the opportunity to again encourage member states who still practice the death penalty or retain it in law to abolish the practice.” [caption id=“attachment_530903” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Ban Ki-moon. Reuters.[/caption] Ban called on member states to join the worldwide trend and support next month’s General Assembly resolution on a moratorium on the use of death penalty. Earlier this year, at a high level event on the death penalty, Ban had said that “the taking of life is too absolute, too irreversible for one human being to inflict on another even when backed by legal process.” About 150 nation either abolished or do not practice the death penalty and Ban asked nations who still practice the capital punishment to follow the example of these nations. Ban said the vote resolution reflects the trend against capital punishment which has grown strong across regions, legal traditions and customs. AP