A/HRC/24/18 IV. Enforcement of the death penalty 19. In 2012, an increased number of Member States of the United Nations supported the adoption of the fourth General Assembly resolution (A/67/176) on moratorium on the use of the death penalty.16 However, despite an encouraging international trend towards the universal abolition of the death penalty, a small number of States continue to use it. Reportedly, executions were carried out in at least 21 countries during the review period. 20. According to Amnesty International, at least 23,386 people remained under death sentence at the end of 2012 and at least 682 people were executed worldwide during that year, excluding China. In addition, 1,722 individuals were reportedly sentenced to death in 58 countries.17 21. During the period under review, some States with a long-standing de facto moratorium resumed imposing the death penalty and carried out executions. After 27 years without any executions, the Gambia executed nine individuals in August 2012. In India, one execution was carried out in November 2012. This was India’s first execution since 2004. Pakistan carried out its first execution since 2007, also in November 2012, when its military authorities executed a soldier. In Indonesia, no execution took place between 2008 and 2012, but in March 2013, one person was executed for drug-related crimes, and three more were executed in May 2013. These executions took place at a time when the use of the death penalty was under review by Indonesia’s national courts, and a public debate was ongoing in the country. Indonesia’s Attorney General also announced that 20 prisoners convicted and sentenced to death would be executed in 2013.18 V. Application of safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty 22. The norms and standards protecting the rights of those facing the death penalty are set out in international human rights law, in particular at article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and article 37 (a) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Furthermore, in an annex to its resolution 1984/50, the Economic and Social Council set out minimum international standards that provide safeguards for guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty.19 23. The Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions submitted a report on “Extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions” to the General Assembly in 2012 (A/67/275) which states, inter alia, that “in States in which the death penalty continues to be used, international law imposes stringent requirements that must be met for it not to be regarded as unlawful”. In its resolution 67/168, the General Assembly called on States to take into account the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur in his reports regarding the need to respect all relevant safeguards and restrictions. 16 17 18 19 6 In December 2012, General Assembly resolution A/67/176 on “moratorium on the use of the death penalty” was adopted with a recorded vote of 111. Amnesty International, op. cit., p. 8-9. See “UN human rights expert urges Indonesian authorities to stop executions”; Available at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=13188&LangID=E. The Commission on Human Rights, in its resolution 2005/59, reaffirmed the importance of the safeguards, as did the General Assembly in its resolutions 62/149, 63/168, 65/206 and 67/176.