Webinar series — Towards the abolition of the death penalty

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.

****************************************

WEBINAR #1 | Philosophical perspectives

The philosophical aspects of the death penalty have been closely examined by numerous thinkers and philosophers. In this session, the philosophical foundations of the death penalty along with ethical arguments for or against capital punishment concerning the abolition of this sanction will be discussed. The panellists will investigate the role of the state, the sovereign, and existing misconceptions and irrational elements in the discourse on the death penalty, providing a philosophical framework which would necessitate the abolition of capital punishment as an irrational and ineffective practice in different societies, particularly in the contemporary context of the Middle East.

Speakers

• Ramin Jahanbegloo | Visiting Professor, St. Andrews University
• Hossein Raeesi | Adjunct Research Professor, Department of Law and Legal Studies, Carleton University
• Omid Milani, Ph.D. | Fellow, HRREC, uOttawa

Moderator — Samira Mohyeddin | Journalism Fellow, Women & Gender Studies Institute (WGSI), University of Toronto