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Summary

  1. Why the middle east?
  2. For whom?
  3. About the Regional Congresses
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ECPM heads to the Middle East for the Fourth Regional Congress on the Death Penalty

Advocacy, Event
May 2023
After Morocco (2012), Malaysia (2015) and Abidjan (2018), ECPM, Penal Reform International, Adaleh Center for Human Rights Studies teams and their partners are now heading to the Middle East to organize the fourth regional congress on the death penalty that will take place on July 11 and 12, 2023. An opportunity to focus on this region of the world in tension to deepen the specific issues related to the abolition of capital punishment. At least 200 participants from 15 countries are expected to attend : Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Syria, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Why the middle east?

The global trend towards the abolition of the death penalty is gaining momentum, with 148 countries worldwide having either abolished it in law or practice. Furthermore, a declining number of countries that still practice the death penalty are carrying out executions. The Middle East is not lagging behind in this global dynamic, as countries such as Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan have not carried out any executions in recent years, thus leading the way towards the abolition. However, the situation remains challenging, making initiatives like the regional congress crucial, as they provide a platform for the abolitionist voices of the Middle East to be heard and facilitate finding contextually appropriate solutions to the region’s specific needs. The event aims to support the work of civil society, encourage collaboration on the abolition of the death penalty and relay the voices of those facing it.

Statuses of the abolition in the Middle-East, 2022

For whom?

The Fourth Regional Death Penalty Congress is an open event for anyone interested in deepening their understanding of the application of the death penalty in the Middle East, including:

  • Civil society actors
  • National human rights institutions
  • Professional human rights networks such as parliamentarians, legal and academic actors
  • The press
  • Lawyers, magistrates, etc.
  • Political authorities, diplomats
  • Educational institutions
4th Regional Congress against the Death Penalty

See you in July 2023: until then, stay tuned to be updated on the event!

About the Regional Congresses

Since 2001, ECPM has been organizing world and regional congresses which have quickly become the most important abolitionist meetings in the world. As a place for debate and discussion among abolitionists, they generate emulation, paving the way for new advances at the local, regional and international levels and allowing for the evolution of judicial and legislative arsenals. This fourth Regional Congress on the Death Penalty is co-financed by Switzerland, the European Union and Norway.

Contact

Sarah Hajjar (shajjar@ecpm.org) – Coordinator of the 4th Regional Congress on the Death Penalty