Webinar series — Towards the abolition of the death penalty

Webinar #9 | Sociological perspectives
Nov 29, 2025 — 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.

The Human Rights Research and Education Centre (HRREC) is pleased to partner with Amnesty International Canada, the Carleton University’s Youth & Justice Lab, The Canadian International Council | Saskatchewan Branch, The Mardom Foundation, The Paivand Society and the campaign United Against Executions in Iran to present the webinar series Towards the abolition of the death penalty.

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Webinar #9 | Sociological perspectives

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 #9 | Sociological perspectives

The death penalty is deeply embedded within sociological and sociolegal structures of power that shape its justification, administration, and endurance. A sociological inquiry into this sanction is essential to understanding the complexity of the state’s use of lethal force and its connection to broader regimes of inequality. Personal narratives and lived experiences reveal that capital punishment disproportionately targets marginalized and financially disadvantaged social, racial, and identity groups, thereby reproducing systemic hierarchies of privilege and exclusion. These dynamics expose how state violence is legitimized and sustained through institutionalized discourses of justice and security. This session situates the death penalty within critical social theories, examining it as a site where class, race, and state authority converge to uphold the state’s hegemonic power.

Speakers

  • Mani Azimzadeh | Human Rights Activist
  • Judy Finlay | Associate Professor, School of Child and Youth Care, Faculty of Social Services, Toronto Metropolitan University
  • Raha Bahreini | Human Rights Lawyer

Narrative — Solmaz Alizadeh | Human Rights Activist

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

Date and time
Nov 29, 2025
12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
RSVP required.
Format and location
Virtual
Webinar on Zoom.
Language
English
Audience
General public
Open to all!
Organized by
Joint partnership

Past webinars

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

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 — Samira Mohyeddin | Journalism Fellow

WEBINAR #3 | International human rights & the abolition of the death penalty

International human rights law provides a comprehensive framework for the abolition of the death penalty. Although the use of capital punishment is not entirely rejected in the ICCPR (1966), the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR (1989) aims at the abolition of the death penalty. From a human rights perspective, the death penalty is a cruel and degrading punishment violating the right to life of its victims and inflicting inordinate pain on society. This session will explore the human rights norms and mechanisms that could provide the means for holding retentionist states accountable and progress towards a moratorium and ultimately the abolition of the death penalty.

Speakers

  • Ezat Mosallanejad | Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture
  • Payam Akhavan | University of Toronto
  • John Packer | Neuberger-Jesin Professor of International Conflict Resolution & Director, HRREC, uOttawa

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

WEBINAR #4 | Political violence & the abolition of the death penalty

Politics and violence are intertwined concepts. On the one hand, the polis (the political realm) is created to, ideally, eliminate, or at its very least, limit, the instances of violence. On the other hand, the majority of legal and political systems are typically born out of violence. Capital punishment is a manifestation of abuse of political power for purposes e.g. manufacturing an economy of fear and death and maintaining control over the populace. This sanction takes various forms, ranging from public execution to assassination. This session explores the use of lethal force by the state in its various forms as an instance of political violence.

Speakers

  • Parastou Forouhar | Independent Artist
  • Hamed Esmailion | Author and Activist
  • Hillary Homes | Amnesty International Canada

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

  • WEBINAR #5 | Islam & the death penalty | CANCELLED

Speakers

  • Sedigheh Vasmaghi | Poet, Theologian, & Academic
  • Shole Pakravan | Actress & Author
  • Sarmad Ali | Director of Legal Awareness Watch, Pakistan

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

WEBINAR #6 | War & the death penalty

In this session, the death penalty will be examined in both global and regional contexts, with a focus on times of armed conflict. We will explore how war increases violations of the right to life and poses a serious challenge to the abolitionist discourse. War will be discussed as a setting in which the state’s use of lethal force is readily justified, expanded, and normalized. The death penalty, in its various forms, is often imposed on vague grounds such as national security, espionage, sedition, or terrorism. During periods of foreign aggression, these justifications become especially convenient for the continued use of capital punishment. The session will shed light on ideas and ways to hold aggressors and human rights violators accountable in such contexts, for protecting human life, particularly in times of war.

Speakers

  • Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam | Human Rights Activist, Iran Human Rights
  • Alex Neve | Senior Fellow, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) & Adjunct Professor in International Human Rights Law, Faculty of Law, Common Law Section, University of Ottawa
  • Omid Milani | Ph.D. in Law & Fellow, Human Rights Research and Education Centre (HRREC), University of Ottawa

Narrative by Shole Pakravan | Social Activist

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

Watch the webinar #6 on YouTube (in English only)

Webinar #7 | Capital Punishment & the Iranian Legal System

Islamic jurisprudence presents diverse perspectives on the death penalty. Some Shia scholars argue that capital punishment should be suspended in the absence of an Infallible Imam, while certain Sunni thinkers maintain that it contravenes the principle of Maslahah Mursalah (public interest). Yet, countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia continue to impose the death penalty for a range of offenses, including drug trafficking, ifsād fi’l-arḍ (corruption on earth), sedition, and murder. The use of capital punishment in these contexts raises serious concerns: the ambiguity of criminal categories, their susceptibility to political manipulation, and their questionable effectiveness as deterrents. Systemic issues, including lack of transparency, denial of due process, and weak enforcement of the rule of law, further shape how executions are carried out. This session examines Islamic jurisprudence’s perspectives on capital punishment and evaluates the prospects for abolition across different contexts. Particular attention will be given to Iran, where the Penal Code authorizes judges to impose capital punishment under Qisas (retribution) and Hudud (fixed punishments for crimes such as apostasy, murder, theft, and rebellion). By engaging these challenges, the discussion invites participants to reflect on how reform within Islamic legal traditions, coupled with broader advocacy, can open pathways toward a future without the death penalty.

Speakers

  • Sedigheh Vasmaghi | Islam Study Scholar, University of Tehran
  • Hossein Raeesi | Adjunct Research Professor, Department of Law and Legal Studies, Carleton University
  • Sarmad Ali | Director, Legal Awareness Watch, Pakistan

Narrative — Shole Pakravan | Author and Actress

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

Webinar #8 | Children, trauma & the death penalty

Children are generally considered exempt from criminal liability for obvious reasons such as lacking maturity, competence, and as a result, a criminal mind in the exact sense of the term. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) provides that “a child means every human being below the age of eighteen years unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier.” For example, Iran is a party to the convention; however, its commitment is made under a reservation. In practice, several perpetrators under the age of 18 have been kept in custody until they reach the age of eighteen and were then executed by the Iranian State. This session explores the problem of execution concerning minor offenders, providing an argumentative framework for abolishing the death penalty for children in light of, i.a., a trauma-informed practice. This session also explores how children are affected by the death penalty in various contexts.

Speakers

  • Sandra Joy | Full Professor, Sociology & Anthropology, Rowan University
  • Hossein Raeesi | Adjunct Research Professor, Department of Law and Legal Studies, Carleton University

Narrative: Shar Delijani | Author

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