PRI's Death Penalty Project
PRI’s current programme of work on the abolition of the death penalty focuses on supporting governments and other stakeholders in progressing towards the abolition of the death penalty and implementation of human rights standards in criminal justice systems, particularly concerning the treatment of death row, life and long-term prisoners. The programme of work is being carried out in five regions: the Middle East and North Africa, Eastern Europe, South Caucasus, Central Asia and the Great Lakes region of East Africa.
The programme, funded under the European Union’s Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), commenced in February 2010 and will run for 2 years.
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This programme aims to positively challenge society’s attitudes in relation to the effect and efficacy of the death penalty and to support governments and other stakeholders in progressing towards abolition. It also aims to challenge the unacceptable forms of life imprisonment as an alternative sanction, and to increase human safeguards and promote better transparency and accountability in criminal justice reforms.
A number of areas of activities have been planned through the programme, including hosting conferences and workshops in all regions, undertaking training of prison officials, journalists, lawyers and civil society, undertaking research, conducting advocacy at the domestic, regional and international level, contributing to a variety of media outputs including through documentary film, print journalism and webcasts and working closely with national and international coalitions and working groups against the death penalty.
PRI will work closely with partners Inter Press Service (IPS) to increase media coverage on death penalty and life imprisonment issues. IPS will strengthen the programme in PRI’s targeted regions by reinforcing information flow and media outreach.
PRI will implement the Great Lakes region of the programme with partner Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI), based in Kampala, Uganda.