US sides with Iran and N. Korea in record UN vote over the death penalty [View all]

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Telegraph

US sides with Iran and N. Korea in record UN vote over the death penalty

A record 110 countries on Monday backed a resolution voted every two years at a UN General Assembly committee calling for the abolition of the death penalty.

4:33AM GMT 20 Nov 2012

The vote tears apart traditional alliances at the United Nations. The United States, Japan, China, Iran, India, North Korea, Syria and Zimbabwe were among 39 countries to oppose the non-binding resolution in the assembly's rights committee. Thirty-six countries abstained.

Israel voted against its strong US-ally to join European Union nations, Australia, Brazil and South Africa among major countries backing the motion.

Norway, which played a leading role campaigning for the resolution, said on its Twitter account that the increased support was a "great result".

At the last vote in 2010, 107 countries backed the resolution.

France's new Socialist government has launched a campaign with other abolitionist states to get the full General Assembly to pass a resolution in December calling for a death penalty moratorium. Though such a resolution would be non-binding, diplomats say it would increase moral pressure.


Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/9689545/US-sides-with-Iran-and-N.-Korea-in-record-UN-vote-over-the-death-penalty.html