So far, 315 international human rights organizations have adapted a resolution to ban the execution of children and youths. The resolution has called for a complete eradication of execution from penal laws and it has been sponsored and signed by a number of human rights organizations. The resolution demands all members of the general assembly in the United Nations to cease the execution of minors starting 2008.
The resolution states:
“Banning execution of minors in international treaties and in international legal bodies is a necessity and without any preconditions. However, some countries still carry out executions or order legal bodies to treat minors in the same way as adults.
The resolution, the content of which refers to signatories from local, national, regional and international non-governmental organizations, has demanded the general assembly in the United Nations to adopt the affirmation of a ban on death sentencing without any reservation, delaying in execution of youth who have committed a murder when they were under 18, until confirmation of the ban in laws of execution and an overhaul and review of all minor execution laws and coordination of the laws with international justice norm that are applied for the minors.
Also, organizations and activist signatories have asked government members in the general assembly to provide appropriate legal facilities for children and youth, including help with documenting the age at the time of crime and documenting the age of arrested youth by police, prosecutors and judicial officials.
Documenting the cases, training judges and prosecutors regarding the ban on execution of minors and the review of cases in which the age of the criminal is questionable, are among other articles indicated in the resolution.
The resolution asks the secretary of the United Nations to publish a report and include necessary information about the execution of minors and include it in the 64th General Assembly session of the United Nations. The report should state the number of minors who have been sentenced to death in the past five years, rate of cases, how internal rulings are administered, and limitations and the barriers to implementing the banning law in its entirety.
Human rights organizations and activists can sign the resolution and join the greater coalition to ban the death penalty of minors.