Watch: State Dept. Falsely Explains Vote Against UN Resolution Condemning Death Penalty for Same-Sex Relations

Wrongly Claims Resolution Calls for ‘Abolition’ of Death Penalty Altogether

Forced to explain its vote publicly, the U.S. Dept. of State is wrongly characterizing a United Nations resolution that condemns the use of the death penalty for same-sex relations and other acts. On Friday the Trump administration voted against a United Nations Human Rights Council resolution that urges countries to examine the death penalty, especially when used arbitrarily or in a discriminatory manner.

State Dept. spokesperson Heather Nauert, quoting a State Dept. representative to the UN’s Human Rights Council, told reporters Wednesday the U.S. voted against the resolution in part because it “called for the abolition of the death penalty altogether.”

That is incorrect – NCRM could find no place in the resolution calling for the abolition of the death penalty.  

Nauert was likely quoting Jason Mack, who delivered a statement dated Friday explaining the U.S. vote. That statement was not published on the State Dept. website until Wednesday.

“The United States unequivocally condemns the application of the death penalty for conduct such as homosexuality, blasphemy, adultery, and apostasy. We do not consider such conduct appropriate for criminalization,” Nauert, quoting Mack, told reporters.

Former U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, denounced the U.S. vote Wednesday afternoon:

The UN resolution does call on nations that have yet to abolish the death penalty to “consider” signing a covenant “aiming at the abolition of the death penalty.” But it does not outright call for the abolition of the death penalty.

The resolution calls on countries to “undertake further studies to identify the underlying factors that contribute to the substantial racial and ethnic bias in the application of the death penalty, where they exist, with a view to developing effective strategies aimed at eliminating such discriminatory practices,” for example.

The resolution also condemns the use of the death penalty “against persons with mental or intellectual disabilities and persons below 18 years of age at the time of the commission of the crime, as well as pregnant women.” 

NCRM has reached out to the State Dept. but has yet to receive a response.

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