New York: Amnesty International has termed as 'positive' UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's statement that he would encourage the growing trend to phase out the death penalty.

"This is a positive step in the fight against the death penalty," the human rights watchdog said in a statement.

"We now look forward to working with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to achieve world-wide abolition," Yvonne Terlingen, Amnesty International's Representative at the UN said.

"We also hope that all UN organs and agencies will now take concrete steps in this direction.Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases as a violation of the right to life and the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment," it added.