A/RES/59/197 1. Strongly condemns once again all the extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions that continue to occur throughout the world; 2. Demands that all Governments ensure that the practice of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions is brought to an end and that they take effective action to combat and eliminate the phenomenon in all its forms; Notes with grave concern that situations of extrajudicial, summary or 3. arbitrary executions may, under certain circumstances, result in genocide or crimes against humanity, as defined in the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide 5 and other relevant international instruments; 4. Notes with deep concern that impunity continues to be a major cause of the perpetuation of violations of human rights, including extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Reiterates the obligation of all Governments to conduct exhaustive and 5. impartial investigations into all suspected cases of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, to identify and bring to justice those responsible, while ensuring the right of every person to a fair and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law, to grant adequate compensation within a reasonable time to the victims or their families, and to adopt all necessary measures, including legal and judicial measures, to put an end to impunity and to prevent the further occurrence of such executions; Acknowledges the establishment of the International Criminal Court as an 6. important contribution to ending impunity concerning extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and the fact that ninety-seven States have already ratified or acceded to and one hundred and thirty-nine States have signed the Rome Statute, 6 and calls upon all other States to consider becoming parties to the Statute; 7. Calls upon all States in which the death penalty has not been abolished to comply with their obligations under relevant provisions of international human rights instruments, including in particular articles 6, 7 and 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights2 and articles 37 and 40 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 7 bearing in mind the safeguards and guarantees set out in Economic and Social Council resolutions 1984/50 and 1989/64; 8. Urges all Governments: (a) To take all necessary measures to prevent the occurrence of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, including those occurring in custody; (b) To take all necessary and possible measures, in conformity with international human rights law and international humanitarian law, to prevent loss of life, in particular that of children, during public demonstrations, internal and communal violence, civil unrest and public emergencies or armed conflicts, and to ensure that the police, law enforcement agents and security forces act with restraint and in conformity with international human rights law and international humanitarian law; _______________ 5 Resolution 260 A (III), annex. Official Records of the United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court, Rome, 15 June–17 July 1998, vol. I: Final documents (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.02.I.5), sect. A. 7 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1577, No. 27531. 6 2