UN Expert Calls Death Penalty a Form of Torture

Capital punishment inflicts such severe physical and psychological suffering that it amounts to torture and should be abolished immediately, according to a new report presented to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The report, prepared by UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Morris Tidball-Binz, argues that the death penalty violates both the right to life and the fundamental principles of human dignity.

Drawing on testimonies from death row survivors, relatives of executed prisoners, forensic evidence, and academic studies, the report concludes that the lengthy process leading to an execution causes profound and prolonged suffering that breaches international human rights standards.

"The death penalty is not only a denial of the right to life, but also an affront to human dignity for those subjected to it and their relatives at all stages of the prolonged and torturous process," Tidball-Binz said.

Trauma extends beyond prisoners to entire families

The report examines every stage of capital punishment, beginning with arrest, interrogation, and pre-trial detention, and continuing through trial, sentencing, imprisonment, execution, and the aftermath for surviving family members.

According to the findings, psychological distress accumulates throughout the process, creating long-lasting trauma for prisoners and their loved ones. Children, spouses, parents, and other relatives often continue to experience emotional and social consequences long after an execution has taken place.

Former death row inmates who were later exonerated described life under a death sentence as a form of "psychological warfare." Many spoke of living under constant fear and uncertainty while enduring harsh prison conditions, isolation, humiliation, and coercive treatment.

The report argues that this combination of experiences creates suffering that goes far beyond the final act of execution itself.

Marginalised groups disproportionately affected

The Special Rapporteur also highlighted concerns about discrimination within death penalty systems around the world. The report states that capital punishment disproportionately affects people of African descent, foreign nationals, individuals living in poverty, and people with disabilities.

According to the findings, social and economic inequalities increase the risk of wrongful convictions and limit access to fair legal representation, making vulnerable groups more likely to face the death penalty.

Tidball-Binz said these patterns reveal deeper structural problems within criminal justice systems that continue to apply capital punishment.

The report concludes that the death penalty functions as a state-controlled system of deliberate suffering that cannot be reconciled with modern human rights standards. It calls on governments that still retain capital punishment to abolish it immediately, arguing that only full abolition can ensure respect for human dignity and compliance with international human rights obligations.

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