20th World Day Against the Death Penalty highlights links with torture and ill-treatment
Today (10 October 2022) marks the 20th World Day Against the Death Penalty. Every year on 10 October, the World Day seeks unify the global abolitionist movement and mobilise civil society, political leaders, lawyers, and the public to support the call for universal abolition of capital punishment.
This year, the World Day is dedicated to reflecting on the relationship between the use of the death penalty and torture or other cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment. Read more about the theme and how to get involved.
Marking the World Day Against the Death Penalty, PRI and 55 organisations have issued a joint statement highlighting the increased risk of torture for women and LGBTQIA+ individuals in processes leading to the death penalty. The joint statement calls for governments in countries that still retain the death penalty to:
- Abolish the death penalty for all offences, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics;
- Establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty, as called for by the UN General Assembly in its resolutions calling for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty.
Pending full abolition, we make 13 further recommendations for governments to ensure human rights safeguards are in place. Read the full statement.
PRI is also marking the World Day with a ceremony at Luzira Prison in Uganda. The ceremony includes dance and drama by detainees and testimonials from people formerly on death row.
See what else is happening around the world for the World Day and share information about your events at worldcoalition.org/2022/09/09/take-action-for-world-day-2022/.
Find out more about PRI’s work towards a world with #nodeathpenalty at penalreform.org/issues/death-penalty.