ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY FOR JUVENILES
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Situation
Initiated in May 2016, the campaign first established its goals and limitations:
1. Obtain the abolition of the death penalty and life imprisonment for minors (at the time of the facts). The 13 states concerned by the death penalty (in their laws or practices) and the 68 states concerned by life imprisonment, have received a letter from Vivere asking them to validate or not, the information in our possession on their legislation. We received three answers. But the most important was to notify them of the existence of our movement and of its objective.
2. Establish an international network of skills and references to support a relevant argument, specific for minors prosecuted or convicted, to develop the dissemination of these arguments in the international agenda.
In addition, Vivere became a member of:
- the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty
- the ‘Child Justice Advocacy Group’ network which brings together international NGOs specializing in juvenile justice which, by integrating Vivere, have placed the abolition of the death penalty as a primary objective.
3. Take into account individual situations likely to be supported on the legal level, but also by an international mobilization, in agreement with our partners on-site.
One of us went to Pakistan in April 2019 to adjust the foundations of the collaboration begun 2 years earlier.
Objectives
By 31 December 2022, the 13 countries whose legislation still provides for the death penalty and the 68 countries providing for life imprisonment for children in conflict with the law (under 18 at the time of the crime), have abolished related articles in their respective criminal laws, and have taken measures and provisions to verify their application throughout their jurisdiction
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Achievements
Vivere launched an international petition addressed to the Human Rights Council to argue that the death penalty is still applicable for minors in a dozen of countries. The latter, however, have ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child which stipulates (Article 37) its absolute prohibition.
To date, the petition had acquired 13’045 signatures.
Vivere‘s argument (available on this site) has been sent to numerous interlocutors and disseminated to several specialized institutions in the field of juvenile justice at the international level.