A/HRC/27/23 mitigation and recommend the application of the death sentence only in exceptional circumstances.12 C. Member States that have ratified or committed themselves to ratifying international instruments providing for the abolition of the death penalty 12. As of 30 May 2014, 81 States had ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty.13 13. During the reporting period, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, El Salvador and Poland acceded to the Second Optional Protocol, and Angola signed it. 14. During the universal periodic review process of the Human Rights Council, several States, including the Central African Republic (A/HRC/25/11, paras. 104.2–104.11), the Congo (A/HRC/25/16, paras. 111.9–111.18), Cambodia (A/HRC/26/16, para. 118.1 and 118.2), Comoros (A/HRC/26/11, paras. 110.1–110.10), Côte d’Ivoire (A/HRC/27/6, para. 128.8–128.9) and Equatorial Guinea (A/HRC/27/13, para. 134.38), accepted recommendations to ratify the Second Optional Protocol. D. Member States that have introduced moratoriums on or suspension of executions 15. The Government of Equatorial Guinea adopted presidential resolution 426 of 13 February 2014, in which it established a temporary moratorium on the application of the death penalty and expressly called for the imposition of prison terms instead of the death penalty. The Government of Pakistan decided to continue its moratorium on the use of capital punishment. The President of the United Arab Emirates ordered a general stay on executions. In the United States of America, the Governor of the State of Washington announced the introduction of a moratorium on the death penalty in February 2014. E. Member States that have reintroduced the use of the death penalty, extended its scope or resumed executions 16. During the reporting period, the scope of the death penalty was expanded in Algeria, Brunei Darussalam, Bahrain, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, the Sudan and the United States of America. 17. In Algeria, an amendment to the Penal Code was adopted in December 2013 to impose the death penalty for kidnappers of children if the victims were later found dead. Bahrain adopted a law that expanded the scope of capital punishment to include individuals responsible for bomb attacks that have caused casualties.14 Bangladesh enacted the Children Act 2013, which allows capital punishment for the authors of acts of terrorism using children. In Nigeria, laws were adopted making kidnapping a capital crime in the Bayelsa, Edo and Delta States. 12 13 14 Uganda, Constitution (Sentencing guidelines for courts of judicature) (Practice) Directions, 2013. For the status of ratification, see http://treaties.un.org. Decree No. 20 of 31 July 2013. 5