UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mrs Mary Robinson today called on authorities in Texas to stop the scheduled executions of two men for murders committed when they were 17.
TJ Jones (25) is due to be executed in on August 8th for the robbery and shooting of a 75-year-old man. Toronto Patterson (24) is scheduled for execution on August 28th for shooting dead a three-year-old girl.
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The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs Mary Robinson
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Former Irish president Mrs Robinson acknowledged the crimes were serious but said she was opposed to the use of the death penalty for juvenile offenders.
"The overwhelming international consensus that the death penalty should not apply to juvenile offenders stems from the recognition that young persons, because of their immaturity, may not fully comprehend the consequences of their actions and should therefore benefit from less severe sanctions than adults," Mrs Robinson said.
"More importantly, it reflects the firm belief that young persons are more susceptible to change, and thus have a greater potential for rehabilitation than adults".
She urged Texas governor Mr Rick Perry and the Board of Pardons and Paroles to "take these factors into account" and stop the executions.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child prohibits capital punishment for offences carried out by people under the age of 18. The United States is one of only two countries in the world that has not ratified the treaty - the other is Somalia.
AP