UN Human Rights Committee Concluding Observations

On November 3, 2023, after hearing from our coalition in Geneva, the UN Human Rights Committee issued the following recommendations calling on the United States to consider a moratorium on all LWOP sentences; to abolish all LWOP for juveniles; to abolish all mandatory and non-homicide-related LWOP; and to ensure parole eligibility and accessibility for all including those sentenced to life:

Life imprisonment without parole

46. The Committee regrets the lack of sufficient information on the measures adopted by the State party to make parole available and more accessible to all prisoners, including those sentenced to life imprisonment. It is also concerned at reports indicating that persons of African descent are disproportionately subject to life imprisonment without parole sentences (arts. 2, 7, 10 and 26).

47. Recalling its previous recommendations, the State party should prohibit and abolish the sentence of life imprisonment without parole for juveniles, irrespective of the crime committed, as well as the mandatory and non-homicide-related sentence of life imprisonment without parole. It should also make parole available and more accessible to all prisoners, including those sentenced to life imprisonment. It should further consider establishing a moratorium on the imposition of sentences to life imprisonment without parole.