⚠️ The date shown at the top of this event comes from the official source. The original description mentions other dates that may be outdated.
The abolition of the death penalty in France On September 18, 1981, by 363 votes to 117, the National Assembly adopted, after two days of debate, the bill abolishing the death penalty. It was presented on behalf of the government by Robert Badinter, then garde des Sceaux, Minister of Justice, a major figure in the abolitionist cause in France and former honorary president of the association Ensemble contre la peine de mort (ECPM), who died in 2024. On October 10, 1981, after two centuries of abolitionist struggle, the law was published in the Journal officiel and France became the last state in the Communauté économique européenne (CEE) to officially abolish capital punishment. More than forty years later, 152 countries are now abolitionist in law or in practice. France today plays a key role in promoting the universal abolition of the death penalty. Two centuries of struggle With the support of the Ville de Paris, ECPM wishes to pay tribute to these emblematic figures, each of whom, in their own way, played a role in the abolitionist fight, from the French Revolution to the present day. Victor Hugo, Albert Camus, Olympe de Gouges and, of course, Robert Badinter, like so many other illustrious figures, spoke out to say no to capital punishment. Today, 29 states and territories have a moratorium on executions, while 47 continue to carry them out. According to estimates, several tens of thousands of people are still sentenced to death worldwide Witnesses and figures of abolition For several years, photographer Christophe Meireis has crossed paths with those who manage to escape the hell of death row. Struck by the power of their stories and their gazes, he wanted to give voice to their words. Phrases, like punches, accompany portraits imbued with calm. In this way, the artist stages these key witnesses of the abolitionist movement. Through their journeys and their stories, these women and men give a face to the human realities of the death penalty and to the need for its abolition. In dialogue with his work, ECPM presents a series of historical portraits illustrated by the artist Mathilde Leroy. Through drawing, she brings to light major figures in the history of abolition who shaped this fight through their writings, their public stances, or their commitment. This portrait gallery is part of both a historical and memorial approach to the abolition of the death penalty.
Source: paris.fr — photo: Adobe Stock