A/RES/49/191
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Condemning especially violations of the right to life of minors and, in particular, children and
adolescents without homes,
Recalling Economic and Social Council resolution 1984/50 of 25 May 1984 and the safeguards
guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty annexed thereto, which resolution was
endorsed by the Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders in
its resolution 15, 3/
Welcoming the close cooperation established between the Centre for Human Rights and the Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice Branch of the Secretariat and the Commission on Crime Prevention and
Criminal Justice with regard to questions relating to extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions,
Convinced of the need for appropriate action to combat and eventually eliminate the abhorrent practice
of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, which represents a flagrant violation of the most fundamental
right, the right to life,
1.
Once again strongly condemns the large number of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary
executions which continue to take place throughout the world;
2.
Demands that the practice of summary or arbitrary executions be brought to an end;
3.
Urgently appeals to Governments, United Nations bodies, the specialized agencies, regional
intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations to take effective action to combat and
eliminate summary or arbitrary executions, including extrajudicial executions;
4.
Reaffirms Economic and Social Council decision 1992/242 of 20 July 1992, in which the
Council approved the decision of the Commission on Human Rights 4/ to appoint a special rapporteur for three
years to consider the questions related to summary or arbitrary executions and also approved the Commission’s
request to the Secretary-General to continue to provide all necessary assistance to the Special Rapporteur, and
recommends that the Commission on Human Rights at its fifty-first session continue his mandate;
5.
Strongly urges all Governments, in particular those that have consistently not responded to
communications transmitted to them by the Special Rapporteur, and all others concerned to cooperate with and
assist the Special Rapporteur so that he may carry out his mandate effectively;
6.
Requests the Special Rapporteur, in carrying out his mandate, to respond effectively to
information that comes before him, in particular when a summary or arbitrary execution is imminent or
threatened, or when such an execution has recently occurred, and, furthermore, to promote exchanges of views
between Governments and those who provide reliable information to the Special Rapporteur, where the Special
Rapporteur considers that such exchanges of information might be useful;
3/ See Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders,
Milan, 26 August-6 September 1985: report prepared by the Secretariat (United Nations publication, Sales
No. E.86.IV.1), chap. I, sect. E.
4/ See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 1992, Supplement No. 2 (E/1992/22),
chap. II, sect. A, resolution 1992/72.
/...