Towards the Abolition of the Death Penalty is a panel discussion series on Zoom that tackles the complex question of the death penalty with a view to its abolition in retentionist states, primarily in the contemporary context of Southwest Asia (the Middle East) in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, among others.
The series provides in-depth discussions on the death penalty from diverse legal, philosophical, sociological, psychological, and political perspectives. The speakers address and put in context current instances of the death penalty, exploring the dynamics involved in this criminal sanction. The series aims to create a dialogical platform for everyone interested in engaging with the abolitionist discourse to discuss the possibilities and challenges to put an end to the death penalty.
Each session introduces the audience to significant aspects of capital punishment, expounding theoretical and practical particularities of the sanction. Apart from the opening discussion on philosophical aspects of the death penalty, the series presents on the following themes: the role of women and the abolition of the death penalty, international human rights law, political violence, Islam, legal systems, children and trauma, sociological aspects, as well as nonviolence and forgiveness.
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WEBINAR #2 | Women & the abolition of the death penalty
Women are victims of the death penalty primarily as a result of male-dominated systems and practices. Although an overwhelming majority of the executed individuals are male, women’s experience of the death penalty is often oversimplified and must be examined through an intersectional prism, considering multiple, nuanced factors playing a role in their suffering. Women can also play an undeniable leading role in the abolition of the death penalty not least through, e.g., cultivating power dynamics in both private and public spheres defying violent state sanctions as a means of maintaining order in society.
Speakers
- Sandra Babcock | Clinical Professor of Law, Cornell Law School, Cornell University
- Roja Fazaeli | Established Professor of Law and Islamic Studies, Irish Centre for Human Rights, University of Galway
- Lucy Harry | Research Associate, Death Penalty Research Unit (DPRU), Centre for Criminology, University of Oxford
Moderator — To be confirmed.
