UN Human Rights Commissioner: Death Penalty Has No Place in 2025

The Regional Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Central Asia has issued a statement from High Commissioner Volker Türk condemning the use of the death penalty in 2025.

Türk described capital punishment as a violation of human dignity that brutalizes societies and weakens justice systems worldwide, The Caspian Post informs via Kyrgyz media.

He warned of a disturbing rise in executions globally, noting that while two-thirds of countries have abolished the death penalty, approximately 30 nations still carry out executions. Over 40 countries remain in a legal limbo-halting executions in practice but not formally abolishing them.

Türk called on governments to adopt moratoriums, commute death sentences, end mandatory death penalties, and limit the scope of capital punishment as critical steps toward complete abolition. “The death penalty has proven futile in deterring crime. The way to protecting societies is not through executions, but through strong institutions and accountability,” he said.

In contrast, Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov has ordered the drafting of legislation to impose the death penalty for severe crimes against children and women, including child rape and the rape and murder of women. The directive comes in response to the brutal killing of 17-year-old Aisuluu from Karakol, who disappeared on September 27 and was later found raped and strangled near Zhel-Aryk. Authorities arrested a 41-year-old man with a prior criminal record in connection with the crime.