The ACIJLP organizes a Workshop in Tunisia on "Reducing the Application of the Death Penalty"

Cairo, March 8- 2012

Press Release

The ACIJLP organizes a Workshop in Tunisia on

"Reducing the Application of the Death Penalty"

The Arab Center for Independence of the Judiciary and Legal Professions (ACIJLP) in collaboration with One World Initiatives organizes a workshop on "Reducing the Application of the Death Penalty" during the period from 10 to 11 March 2012 in Tunisia.

The Workshop comes in the framework of the ACIJLP's campaign on the project "Towards Reducing the Application of the Death Penalty in the Arab States" which launched by the ACIJLP at the beginning of the year 2010 and will continue till the year 2013 with financial support from the European Union (EU). The Campaign includes many events including regional and international conferences, training courses and research studies related to reducing and abolishing the death penalty in the Arab Legislation.

A number of judges, lawyers, law professors, human rights activists and Tunisian media figures will participate in the workshop.

The Workshop aims at activating the role of law professionals including judges, lawyers and law professors in reducing the Application of the Death Penalty in the Arab States, in addition to activating the role of media Institutions and Human Rights Organizations in disseminating tolerance, fighting violence, reducing the application of the death penalty and replacing such penalty with alternative sanctions. Moreover, the workshop discusses the standards and controls that should be adhered to when executing the death penalty, as well as having attention to the internationally recognized guarantees on the protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty.

The workshop sheds light on the International Conventions and Covenants related to protection of the right to life, the status of application of the death penalty in the Arab States and the Stand of these countries to ratify or accede to the conventions and Covenants against the death penalty. The workshop will also discuss the approach of Islamic law "Sharia" on reducing the application of the death penalty, and put forward views on the proposals for the gradual abolition of the death penalty in the Arab States and alternative sanctions.