A majority of the world's nations voted in a U.N. committee Thursday to signal support for abolishing executions.
The 105-48 vote in the U.N. General Assembly's human rights committee was the second year in a row nations have urged a global moratorium on the death penalty.
As last year, about 30 nations abstained, and the United States took the step of siding with countries such as Iran, China and Syria in opposing the resolution _ and against its usual European allies and Israel.
U.S. President George W. Bush's administration has in the past mainly left it to other nations to voice criticism of the resolution.
Thursday's vote marked slightly more support from the final 104-54 vote in the plenary of the General Assembly last December, with one more vote in support and fewer opposed.
The General Assembly will hold a final vote on the measure and the committee's vote is almost certain to be closely replicated there. Though not legally binding, the voting carries moral weight coming from the 192-nation world body.
The resolution has been spearheaded by Italy and supported by the Vatican, a leading opponent of capital punishment. Also leading the campaign has been the European Union, which requires its 27 members to outlaw capital punishment.
Italian Ambassador Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata said the committee's vote confirms a global trend since it "shows the growing support among the (U.N.) membership on an issue to which Italy and its European partners attach a great deal of importance."
Opponents of the death penalty argue there is no conclusive evidence that it serves as an effective deterrent and that the risk of injustice is too high. But nations that oppose a ban on the death penalty say it remains legal under international law and is an appopritate deterrant against the most serious crimes.
Amnesty International, which has been campaigning for the resolution, noted rising acceptance of a moratorium. In the 1990s, it was voted on twice in the General Assembly and failed.
"The increased support for this year's resolution is very important. It demonstrates once again that the world is on a steady path toward abolishing the death penalty," said Yvonne Terlingen, head of the advocacy group's U.N. office.
Terlingen urged nations such as Japan that increased the rate of executions in the past year to "take immediate steps to implement the resolution."
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been encouraged by the trend in many areas of the world toward ultimately abolishing the death penalty, U.N. spokeswoman Michele Montas said.
Last year there were at least 1,252 people put to death by 24 nations and 3,347 others sentenced to death in 51 countries, according to Amnesty International.
As of November, some 137 nations had abolished the death penalty in law or practice, the group said.
