World Day Against the Death Penalty -October 10, 2005

This year, the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty focuses its efforts towards abolition of the death penalty throughout Africa. Most African countries have already abolished the death penalty, but you can support an end to the death penalty on the whole African continent by signing the appeal addressed to African heads of state where capital punishment is still used.

The appeal calls for:

• abolition of the death penalty as a matter of national law;
• ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
• support of the African Union and the United Nations.

You don't know what the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights is? Oh, honestly! ;) Of course, I didn't know either. Here it is: United Nations


The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty is a coalition of 38 human rights organizations campaigning for universal repeal of the death penalty. The World Coalition organizes the World Day Against the Death Penalty annually to mobilize people to take action against the death penalty. The Coalition also supports "Cities Against the Death Penalty" on November 30, to celebrate the first abolition of the death penalty by the Republic of Toscana in 1786. (God, I love wikipedia!)