Page - 372 - in Menschenrechte und Gerechtigkeit als bleibende Aufgaben - Beiträge aus Religion, Theologie, Ethik, Recht und Wirtschaft

© 2020, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co. KG, Göttingen ISBN Print: 9783847111658 – ISBN E-Lib: 9783737011655 Article6(6)ICCPRalreadyforeseesthegradualabolitionofthedeathpenalty: “Nothing in this article shall be invoked todelayor toprevent the abolitionof capital punishment by any State Party to the present Covenant”. In 1990, UN member states adopted theSecondOptionalProtocol to the ICCPR,Aimingat theAbolitionof theDeathPenalty. ThisOP, of course, only binds those states whichhaveratified it.Nevertheless, the trendtowardsabolitioncontinues, and theUNGeneralAssembly regularlyappeals to theremainingretentionist states toat least adoptamoratoriumandtostopexecutions.72 Inouropinion,timehascometoalsochangethesystematic interpretationof Articles 6and7 ICCPR.Howcancapitalpunishment still be consideredasnot inhumanordegradingifevenlightformsofcorporalpunishmentareconsidered as inhumanordegrading and, therefore, absolutely prohibitedunder interna- tional law?73After all, capital punishment is an aggravated form of corporal punishment. It also fulfils all criteria of the definition of torture, namely the deliberateinflictionofseverepainorsuffering,whetherphysicalormental,ona powerlesspersonbyapublicofficial foraspecificpurpose,suchaspunishment. Since theprohibitionof torture is anormof ius cogens,whichbinds all states irrespectiveofwhethertheyhaveratifiedtheCAToranyothertreatyprohibiting torture,capitalpunishmentisalsoabsolutelyprohibitedunderinternationallaw. 2.8. Reactionsof theUnitedNations Both the adoption of the SPCO in 2013 and the entry into force of its most controversial substantiveprovisions in2019weremetbyoutrage. Incidentally, both eventsoccurred incloseproximity toBrunei’sUniversal PeriodicReview (“UPR”)attheHumanRightsCouncil,andtheeffect ismeasurable: InBrunei’s secondUPRin2014, 14States issued recommendationsconcerning the repeal, review or amendment of the SPCO, based on its failure tomeet international humanrightsstandards;allof theseweremerely ‘noted’byBrunei. Inaddition, numerous recommendations concerning theupholdingof themoratoriumon, aswellastheabolitionofthedeathpenalty,weresimilarlynotaccepted.Theonly relevant recommendationswhichwere supported byBrunei came fromStates with similar legal orders (Pakistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia) and concerned training, awareness raisingandcapacitybuilding topromote just implementa- 72 SeeUnitedNationsGeneralAssembly,Resolution73/175:Moratoriumontheuseofthedeath penaltyof17December2018,A/RES/73/175. 73 SeethedevelopmentofthislegalreasoninginNowak,CCPRCommentary,p. 168ff.;Nowak/ McArthur,CATCommentary,p. 564ff. ManfredNowak/Anna-MariaSteiner372 Open-Access-Publikation im Sinne der CC-Lizenz BY 4.0