United Nations
A/RES/61/173
General Assembly
Distr.: General
1 March 2007
Sixty-first session
Agenda item 67 (b)
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 19 December 2006
[on the report of the Third Committee (A/61/443/Add.2 and Corr.1)]
61/173. Extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
The General Assembly,
Recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1 which guarantees the
right to life, liberty and security of person, the relevant provisions of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 2 and other relevant human
rights conventions,
Having regard to the legal framework of the mandate of the Special
Rapporteur of the Human Rights Council on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary
executions,
Welcoming the universal ratification of the Geneva Conventions of 12 August
1949, 3 which alongside human rights law provide an important framework of
accountability in relation to extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions during
armed conflict,
Mindful of all its resolutions on the subject of extrajudicial, summary or
arbitrary executions and the resolutions of the Commission on Human Rights on the
subject,
Noting with deep concern that impunity continues to be a major cause of the
perpetuation of violations of human rights, including extrajudicial, summary or
arbitrary executions,
Acknowledging that international human rights law and international
humanitarian law are complementary and not mutually exclusive,
Noting with deep concern the growing number of civilians and persons hors de
combat killed in situations of armed conflict and internal strife,
Acknowledging that extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions may under
certain circumstances amount to genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes,
as defined in international law, including in the Rome Statute of the International
Criminal Court, 4
_______________
1
Resolution 217 A (III).
See resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.
3
United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 75, Nos. 970–973.
4
Ibid., vol. 2187, No. 38544.
2
06-50481