Geneva, The Sultanate of Oman today took part in a panel discussion on the death penalty organized by the Human Rights Council at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in Geneva.
Ambassador Idris Abdulrahman Al Khanjri, Permanent Representative of the Sultanate of Oman to the UN, delivered a statement on behalf of the GCC countries in which he said that the GCC countries wish to express their commitment to the rule of law as an essential tool for achieving justice, realizing the right and protecting the rights of all individuals under its jurisdiction.
This commitment, the ambassador asserted, extends to include the death penalty, which is limited to cases of very serious crimes and is only implemented after securing a fair trial and fulfilling all legal and judicial guarantees.
He affirmed that there is no international consensus with or against the death penalty that is imposed in accordance with the proper application of the law. Accordingly, the retention or abolition of the death penalty is determined by each country according to its circumstances, religious and cultural backgrounds, the ambassador explained.
He pointed out that from this perspective, many countries around the world, which apply Islamic law as part of the sources of their legislation, use the death penalty with strict legal guarantees endorsed by the true Islamic law and in consistent with the obligations of countries under international human rights law and relevant international standards.
At the end of his speech, the ambassador stressed that the GCC countries call for respect for cultural, social and religious backgrounds. They also call for the recognition of the right of each country to adopt its own legal and legislative systems as an independent and sovereign entity as guaranteed by the international law.
Source: Oman News Agency