Extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions A/RES/71/198 3. Reiterates that all States must conduct prompt, exhaustive and impartial investigations into all suspected cases of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, identify and bring to justice those responsible, while ensuring the right of every person to a fair hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law, grant adequate compensation within a reasonable time to the victims or their families and adopt all necessary measures, including legal and judicial measures, also bearing in mind gender equality in access to justice, to put an end to impunity and prevent the further occurrence of such executions, as recommended in the Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extralegal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions, 10 fully consistent with their obligations under international law; 4. Calls upon Governments, and invites intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, to pay greater attention to the work of national-level commissions of inquiry into extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, with a view to ensuring the effective contribu tion of these commissions to accountability and to combating impunity; 5. Calls upon all States, in order to prevent extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, to comply with their obligations under the relevant provisions of international human rights instruments, and also calls upon States which retain the death penalty to pay particular regard to the provisions contained in articles 6, 14 and 15 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 2 and articles 37 and 40 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 11 bearing in mind the safeguards and guarantees set out in Economic and Social Council resolutions 1984/50 of 25 May 1984 and 1989/64 of 24 May 1989 and taking into account the recommendations of the Special Rapporteur of the Human Rights Council on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions in his reports to the Council and the General Assembly, including the report submitted to the Assembly at its sixtyseventh session, 12 regarding the need to respect all safeguards and restrictions, including limitation to the most serious crimes, stringent respect of due process and fair trial safeguards and the right to seek pardon or commutation of sentence; 6. Urges all States: (a) To take all measures required by international human rights law and international humanitarian law to prevent loss of life, in particular that of children, during detention, arrest, public demonstrations, internal and communal violence, civil unrest, public emergencies or armed conflicts and to ensure that the police, law enforcement agents, armed forces and other agents acting on behalf of or with the consent or acquiescence of the State act with restraint and in conformity with international human rights law and international humanitarian law, including the principles of proportionality and necessity, and in this regard to ensure that police and law enforcement officials are guided by the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials 13 and the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials; 14 _______________ 10 Economic and Social Council resolution 1989/65, annex. United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1577, No. 27531. 12 A/67/275. 13 Resolution 34/169, annex. 14 See Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, Havana, 27 August–7 September 1990: report prepared by the Secretariat (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.91.IV.2), chap. I, sect. B. 11 3/6