A/RES/55/111
Convinced of the need for effective action to combat and eliminate the
abhorrent practice of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, which
represent a flagrant violation of the fundamental right to life,
1.
Strongly condemns once again all the extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary
executions that continue to take place throughout the world;
2.
Notes that impunity continues to be a major cause of the perpetuation of
violations of human rights, including extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions;
3.
Acknowledges the historic significance of the adoption of the Rome
Statute of the International Criminal Court, 7 and the fact that a significant number of
States have already signed and/or ratified the Statute, and calls upon all States to
consider signing and ratifying the Statute;
4.
Demands that all Governments ensure that the practice of extrajudicial,
summary or arbitrary executions be brought to an end and that they take effective
action to combat and eliminate the phenomenon in all its forms;
5.
Takes note of the interim report of the Special Rapporteur of the
Commission on Human Rights on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, 8
including the attention given therein to various aspects and situations involving
violations of the right to life by extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions;
6.
Reiterates the obligation of all Governments to conduct exhaustive and
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 to the victims or their families and to adopt all necessary measures,
including legal and judicial measures, in order to bring an end to impunity, to
prevent the recurrence of such executions;
7.
Calls upon Governments concerned to investigate promptly and
thoroughly cases in various parts of the world of killings committed in the name of
passion or in the name of honour, persons killed for reasons related to their peaceful
activities as human rights defenders or as journalists, racially motivated violence
leading to the death of the victim as well as other persons whose right to life has
been violated, and to bring those responsible to justice before an independent and
impartial judiciary, and to ensure that such killings are neither condoned nor
sanctioned by government officials or personnel;
8.
Urges Governments to undertake all necessary and possible measures to
prevent loss of life, in particular that of children, during public demonstrations,
internal and communal violence, civil unrest and public emergencies or armed
conflict, and to ensure that the police and security forces receive thorough training
in human rights matters, in particular with regard to restrictions on the use of force
and firearms in the discharge of their functions;
9.
Stresses the importance for States to take effective measures to end
impunity with regard to extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, inter alia,
through the adoption of preventive measures, and calls upon Governments to ensure
that such measures are included in post-conflict peace-building efforts;
7
8
2
A/CONF.183/9.
See A/55/288, annex.