According to Amnesty International, nearly 19,000 people worldwide are awaiting execution, even though capital punishment has no proven effect as a deterrent and makes judicial errors irreversible.
If we in the international community are serious about ending torture and abolishing capital punishment, we must do more than make lofty promises.
By joining a new Alliance for Torture-Free Trade, governments will agree to establish national export bans on products used for torture or executions, while further empowering their customs authorities to enforce the prohibitions.
Argentina's commitment to ending the death penalty is unwavering.
The EU, meanwhile, tightened legislation last year to ban all trade in goods used for torture or capital punishment.
When the Alliance launches this month, participating countries will sign a joint political declaration based on four commitments. First, they will implement measures to restrict the export of goods intended for torture or executions.
To be sure, rooting out torture and abolishing the death penalty will require broad, sustained efforts beyond the area of trade.
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