June 2007

PRI has launched a two year project (2007-09) on the abolition of the death penalty and alternatives to life imprisonment in four world regions: Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Central Asia, Eastern Europe and the Russian Federation, and South Caucasus.

The project, co-financed by the European Commission, and implemented through PRI’s regional offices, aims to positively challenge society’s attitudes towards the death penalty and support government and civil society efforts in progressing towards full abolition of the death penalty in law. It also aims to influence the introduction of alternative sanctions to the death penalty in countries which have already abolished or are nearing abolition.

The countries covered by the project are at various stages of abolition. Belarus, Egypt, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Yemen retain the death penalty. Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Kyrgyzstan and the Russian Federation are abolitionist in practice, while Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are abolitionist for all crimes. 

Where countries have abolished the death penalty, the aim is to ensure this is not reversed and that it is proscribed in the constitution. PRI also believes that the public debate around abolition should include discussion of the alternative sanctions to the death penalty to be imposed for the most serious crimes. Abolition is the first step towards establishing a criminal justice system that respects human life and is in compliance with international human rights law. However, the uncritical acceptance of life imprisonment as an alternative to the death penalty raises serious concerns both with regard to the conditions of confinement in which people are sentenced to life are held and to the implications of a sentence that does not allow for rehabilitation or reform. For this reason, a key focus of the project in countries moving towards abolition, and those who have imposed a moratorium on the death penalty, is working with government and civil society to influence the introduction of appropriate alternatives to the death penalty.

Regional and national strategies are currently being developed to meet the specific challenges of each region. The key areas of activity over the two years will include research, policy development support, public education, coalition building and media work.

The project is being implemented through PRI’s regional offices in Jordan, Almaty, Georgia and Moscow.

Further information
For further information please contact mmolloy@penalreform.org