Amnesty International's (AI) decision in 1973 to adopt unconditional opposition to capital punishment into its mandate marked a watershed moment for both the international abolitionist movement generally, and Amnesty International specifically. But it was not an easy decision for the organization to take. Internally, there were some within the organization who opposed broadening the mandate beyond its existing work on Prisoners of Conscience, fearing that such a move would commit AI to the defense of violent individuals, which, in turn, would be detrimental to the organization's reputation. While the organization eventually chose to make campaigning against the use of the death penalty a core aspect of its work, it did so with great reluctance. And in doing so, AI filled a void within the abolitionist movement and lent new legitimacy and momentum to efforts to bring about an end to capital punishment worldwide. But more importantly, it signaled a principled shift in thinking for the organization that not only challenged the state's authority to take an individual's life but advocated a more inclusive vision in which the rights of individuals could not legitimately be forfeited for either their words or deeds.