The United Nations General Assembly's Human Rights Committee voted to ban the death penalty for the second consecutive year. The United States, along with Syria, Iran and China, opposed the resolution, the Associated Press reported.
Nations supporting the death penalty cited the punishment as an effective deterrent for more serious crimes, while nations in opposition said there remains no concrete evidence of its benefit, the AP reported.
While the General Assembly will hold a final vote on the measure next month, it is expected to mirror the committee's vote, according to the AP.
The death penalty remains legal under international law, and the U.N.'s vote is not legally binding.
-MAUREEN McCARTY
