A/HRC/39/19 Contents Page I. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 3 II. Changes in law and practice ............................................................................................................. 3 A. Abolition of the death penalty or initiatives taken for its abolition, including commitments provided to abolish it ......................................................................... 3 B. Restrictions on the use and scope of the death penalty or limitations of its use ...................... 4 C. International and regional instruments contributing to the abolition of the death penalty ....... 5 D. Reintroduction of the use of the death penalty, extension of its scope or resumption of executions……………………………………….. .............................................................. 6 III. Information on the use of the death penalty ..................................................................................... 7 IV. Safeguards guaranteeing the protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty ................... 8 A. Restriction of the use of the death penalty to the “most serious crimes” ................................. 8 B. Prohibition of the mandatory use of the death penalty ............................................................ 10 C. Fair trial guarantees ................................................................................................................. 11 D. Right to seek pardon or commutation ...................................................................................... 12 E. Prohibition of public executions .............................................................................................. 13 Use of the death penalty against children and persons with mental or intellectual disabilities ........ 13 A. Children ................................................................................................................................... 13 B. Persons with mental or intellectual disabilities ........................................................................ 14 VI. Human rights of children of parents sentenced to the death penalty or executed ............................. 15 VII. Conclusions and recommendations .................................................................................................. 16 V. 2