Death penalty moratorium update

Last month, New Zealand joined a coalition of progressive nations in backing a UN General Assembly resolution [PDF] calling for a global moratorium on the death penalty. Currently, the resolution is before the UN Third Committee, where various pro-death penalty countries led by Singapore are attempting to scupper it. But while it has 85 co-sponsors (out of a total UN membership of 192), the voting has been close, with 80-odd countries in favour vs about 70 against, with a further 42 countries either abstaining or not showing up to vote. If it survives, then it will face a final vote in the General Assembly in mid-December.