1 June 2018Good news : abolition of the death penalty in Burkina Faso !

PRESS RELEASE : Burkina Faso’s National Assembly adopted on 31 May 2018 a new penal code providing for the abolition of death penalty. After the law’s enactment by President Kaboré, Burkina Faso will become the 21st abolitionist country in Africa and 114th in the world (for ordinary crimes). On 31 May 2018, the representatives of the National Assembly of Burkina Faso voted the abolition of the death penalty for ordinary crimes, by 83 votes to 43. This historic step is the result of...

28 May 2018African Congress in Abidjan: round-up of the Teaching Abolition activities!

More than a month has passed since the African Congress Against the Death Penalty ended in Abidjan. Enough time to take stock of this event which was a real success for the entire Ensemble contre la peine de mort team and the abolitionist movement in Africa. Let’s start with a round-up of the success stories of the “Teaching Abolition” project at the Congress! Created in 2009 with a view to raising awareness about the death penalty among young people, this programme, which lies at the...

28 May 2018Round-up of the African Congress with Pete Ouko, former death penalty prisoner in Kenya

During the African Congress, we were lucky enough to hear stories from some incredible people about their past on death row. Pete Ouko, from Kenya, was one of them. Wrongfully sentenced to death, he was eventually pardoned and released 18 years later. He is now a law graduate and devotes his energy to defending the rights of prisoners in Africa. Pete made a speech at the official opening ceremony that was both heart-breaking and full of hope. During the Congress, he was generous enough...

14 May 2018Report for the Universal Periodic Review of Cameroon – Executive Summary

The report for the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) presents information and data on the use of the death penalty in the Republic of Cameroon since the last session of the UPR (2013), for the 3rd examination cycle (May 2018). This report also presents several recommendations to address the ongoing violations of human rights in Cameroon.   Facts and figures De facto abolitionist country: no executions carried out since 1997; however, the moratorium is not...

4 May 2018Mauritania : Joint statement against mandatory death penalty for blasphemy law

Through this joint statement released with twenty other national and international NGOs, Together against the death penalty calls upon Mauritanian authorities to reverse the recent adoption of a law on apostasy related crimes making the death penalty mandatory for blasphemy. The Nation Assembly passed this text on April 27 while Nouakchott was hosting the 62nd ordinary session of the African Commission on human and peoples' rights including a panel on the death penalty. (Also available in...

10 April 2018Final declaration of the African Congress

On 9 and 10 April, more than 300 abolitionists, activists, diplomats, politicians, parliamentarians, lawyers, former death row inmates and citizens gathered in Abidjan for the first African Congress against the death penalty. After two days of debating and sharing experiences, the delegates adopted a final declaration at the closing ceremony. This Congress, organized by ECPM in partnership with the World Coalition against the Death Penalty, FIACAT and the CNDH-CI and hosted by Côte...

8 April 2018“Abolition is the irreversible trend in Africa,” – Interview with Raphaël Chenuil-Hazan

Monday 9 April 2018 marks the opening of the first day of debates at the African Congress Against the Death Penalty organised by ECPM, in partnership with the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, FIACAT and the Côte d’Ivoire National Human Rights Commission. This year it will concentrate on Africa which is en route to becoming the next abolitionist continent. Raphaël Chenuil-Hazan, General Manager of ECPM, gives us his view of this major abolition event, the biggest ever held on...

7 April 2018“Ivorian public opinion is not in favour of the death penalty” – Interview with Namizata Sangaré

The Côte d’Ivoire National Human Rights Commission (Commission Nationale des Droits de l’Homme de Côte d’Ivoire or CNDHCI) is our partner at the African Congress Against the Death Penalty which is being held on 9 and 10 April. Its President, Mrs Namizata Sangaré, has answered our questions. What is the role of the CNDHCI? The CNDHCI was created in 2012. It is an independent body with legal status and financial autonomy. Its mandate is to perform the roles of dialogue, consultation,...

7 April 2018“In ten years time, I think that nearly all of sub-Saharan Africa will have abolished the death penalty” – Interview with Aurélie Plaçais

As the African Congress Against the Death Penalty, organised by ECPM, begins in Abidjan, Aurélie Plaçais, Director of the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, a leading partner, answered our questions. What form has your organisation’s participation taken at this Congress? The World Coalition is a partner at the African Congress in Abidjan organised by ECPM, alongside the Fédération internationale de l’action des chrétiens pour l’abolition de la peine de mort (FIACAT) and...

6 April 2018Program of the 1st African Congress Against the Death Penalty

The 1st African Congress Against the Death Penalty will be held in Abidjan on the 9th and 10th of April, 2018. This congress is organized by ECPM in partnership with the World Coalition against the Death Penalty, FIACAT and CNDH-CI, under the patronage of Norway, Belgium and the European Union. It will be the largest abolitionist event ever held on African soil. More than 300 participants are expected to attend these two days of debates, solemn opening and closing ceremonies, and festive and...