Webinar series — Towards the abolition of the death penalty

Webinar #3 | International human rights & the abolition of the death penalty
Apr 12, 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.

Link available soon.
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Webinar #3 | International human rights & 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.

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

More details about the third webinar of the series soon.

Date and time
Apr 12, 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