India voted against a UN draft calling for a global pause on executions. The General Assembly’s Third Committee approved the proposal by 133 votes to 33, with 16 abstentions.
India voted against a draft resolution calling for a global death penalty moratorium on Friday, 13 November 2026. The UN General Assembly’s Third Committee approved the draft by 133 votes to 33, with 16 abstentions. Mexico introduced the proposal, which calls for countries to suspend executions with a view to abolishing capital punishment.
How India and other countries voted
India was among 33 countries that voted against the draft, along with China, Japan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United States. The vote took place in the Third Committee, which handles social, humanitarian and cultural issues, before the draft goes to the full General Assembly for consideration.
What the UN draft says about executions
The proposal urges countries that retain the death penalty to suspend executions and gradually narrow the range of offences punishable by death, including by ending mandatory death sentences. It also calls on countries that have abolished capital punishment to refrain from bringing it back. The draft recognises countries’ right to set criminal penalties within the limits of international law.
The text calls for excluding the death penalty for offences committed by anyone under 18. It extends that protection to cases where authorities cannot establish that the person was at least 18 at the time of the offence. It also calls for restrictions on the use of capital punishment for pregnant women, older people and people with mental or intellectual disabilities.
Recorded executions rose sharply in 2025
The draft raises concern about a sharp rise in reported executions in 2025. Amnesty International recorded 2,707 executions across 17 countries that year, up 78% from the 1,518 it recorded in 2024. The count excludes thousands of executions the organisation believes took place in China.
In a separate case in October 2026, Saudi Arabia’s execution of two Bangladeshi nationals prompted Dhaka to seek clarification about the proceedings and the lack of advance notice to its consulate.
