From September 12 to October 7, 2022, the 51st session of the Human Rights Council took place in Geneva. For the first time since the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic, NGOs were allowed to organise side events at the Palais des Nations. In view of the 8th World Congress against the Death Penalty to be held in Berlin from 15 to 18 November 2002, ECPM and the Permanent Missions in Geneva of Germany, France, the European Union and Switzerland organised an event to present the Congress.
Representatives of the Permanent Missions opened the event and Raphaël Chenuil-Hazan, Director of ECPM, presented the progress of the political mobilisation around the Congress as well as the rich and innovative programme of debates. Sabrina Van Tassel, journalist and director of the documentary The State of Texas vs. Melissa, presented the case of Melissa Lucio and insisted on the role of culture as a lever for advocacy in the abolitionist struggle.
In addition, on the occasion of the presentation of the UN Secretary General’s Report on the question of the death penalty to the Human Rights Council, ECPM and its partners presented two oral interventions during the general debate under item 3. These interventions provided an opportunity to recall the forthcoming abolitionist calendar:
– 10 October: 20th World Day against the Death Penalty on the theme of torture
– 15 to 18 November: 8th World Congress against the Death Penalty
– Mid-December: vote on the UN General Assembly Resolution for a universal moratorium on the death penalty