Foreword; Preface to the Third Edition; Table of cases; Table of International Instruments; Abbreviations; Introduction; 1. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Recognition of the Right to Life; 2. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: drafting, ratification and reservation; 3. Interpretation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; 4. Towards abolition: the Second Optional Protocol and other developments in the United Nations; 5. International humanitarian law; 6. International criminal law; 7. European human rights law; 8. Inter-American human rights law; 9. African human rights law; Conclusion; Appendices: I. Universal Declaration of Human Rights; II. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; III. Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; IV. Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Aimed at Abolition of the Death Penalty; V. General Comment 6(16) (excerpts); VI. Convention against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; VII. Convention on the Rights of the Child; VIII. Safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty; IX. Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War; X. Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilians; XI. Protocol Additional I to the 1949 Geneva Conventions and Relating to The Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts; XII. Protocol Additional II to the 1949 Geneva Conventions and Relating to The Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts; XIII. Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court; XIV. Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms; XV. Protocol No. 6 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms Concerning the Abolition of the Death Penalty; XVI. Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union; XVII. European Union Minimum Standards Paper; XVIII. Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe Commitments; XIX. American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man; XX. American Convention on Human Rights; XXI. Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights to Abolish the Death Penalty; XXII. African Charter of Human and Peoples' Rights; XXIII. African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child; XXIV. Arab Charter on Human Rights; Bibliography; Index.