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U.S. Rejects UN Call To Abolish Death Penalty


The United States has dismissed international calls to abolish the death penalty.

U.S. State Department legal adviser Harold Koh told the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council that capital punishment is permitted under international law.

Koh said Washington is committed to rooting out injustices and would seriously consider some of the recommendations, including one to sign a UN declaration on the rights of indigenous people.

The call to abolish the death penalty was repeated throughout the list of 228 recommendations by other nations that formed part of the first comprehensive review of Washington's human rights record before the council.

-- Reuters

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