Death Penalty News

Robert Badinter (1928-2024), avocat pénaliste, professeur de droit, homme politique, ministre, était également un farouche opposant à la peine de mort.  Nommé garde des Sceaux (ministre de la Justice) à la suite de l'élection de François Mitterrand à la présidence de la République en mai 1981, il déploya une énergie considérable pour obtenir l'abolition de la peine capitale, votée par le Parlement français dès le mois de septembre 1981. En 1965, Robert Badinter et Jean-Denis Bredin fondèrent un cabinet d'avocats, au sein duquel il exerça jusqu'en 1981. Son combat idéologique, moral et philosophique contre la peine de mort prit une ampleur plus aiguë et plus militante après l'exécution de son client, Roger Bontems, le 28 novembre 1972.

Even before France's National Assembly abolished capital punishment in 1981, the nation's Catholic bishops had already said the death penalty was incompatible with the Gospel France has paid tribute to Robert Badinter, the Socialist politician who began his term as the country's Minister of Justice (1981-86) fighting to end the death penalty. Badinter, who later became president of the Constitutional Court and then a senator, died on February 9 at age ninety-five . 

Former French justice minister Robert Badinter, who has died aged 95, saved many lives by dedicating his own to the fight against capital punishment, playing a pivotal role in banning the dreaded guillotine in 1981. Robert Badinter (pictured), born on March 30, 1928, was a prominent French lawyer, academic, and politician who played a pivotal role in the abolition of the death penalty in France. His impactful career reflects his unwavering commitment to human rights and justice. Badinter's journey in the legal realm began with his education at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand and the University of Paris Law School, where he developed a profound attachment for the principles that would shape his future endeavors. After completing his studies, Badinter embarked on a career marked by dedication to justice.

L'écrivain français Gilles Perrault, dont le roman " Le pull-over rouge " a suscité en France une polémique majeure sur la peine capitale, est décédé jeudi à Sainte-Marie-du-Mont (Manche), a annoncé aujourd'hui sa famille. Il avait 92 ans. "Je peux confirmer qu'il est décédé hier soir, le 3 août, d'un arrêt cardiaque", a déclaré l'un de ses proches à l'AFP. Né Jacques Peyroles, il avait travaillé pendant plusieurs années comme avocat avant de devenir journaliste puis romancier, publiant sous le pseudonyme de Gilles Perrault.

At a ceremony commemorating the 40th anniversary of France’s abolition of the death penalty, French President Emmanuel Macron announced an initiative to advance worldwide abolition of capital punishment. The announcement also coincided with World Day Against the Death Penalty, which is observed annually on October 10. In January 2022, France will assume the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union. Macron said, “As part of the French presidency of the European Union, we will organize … a meeting in Paris at the highest level, bringing together civil societies from countries that still apply the death penalty … in order to convince their leaders of the importance and urgency of abolishing it.” Macron spoke of France’s role as a leader in ending the death penalty, saying that, in 1981, it became the 35th nation to abolish capital punishment. Today, he said, “106 states have so far taken this path, while 50 others have a de jure or de facto moratorium on executions.” Macro...

French President Emmanuel Macron said Saturday he will lead a global campaign to end state-sponsored executions. PARIS (Reuters) - France will launch a campaign for the worldwide abolition of the death penalty as part of its upcoming presidency of the European Union, President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday. A conference will be held in Paris gathering civil society groups from countries where the death penalty is in use or suspended, Macron said in a speech to mark the 40th anniversary of France’s abolition of the punishment. France, which will hold the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2022, will also work with other member states towards a United Nations resolution requiring countries to report each year the number of death penalty sentences given and executions carried out, he said. Macron was speaking alongside Robert Badinter, the justice minister of late President Francois Mitterrand who steered the abolition of the death penalty through the Fre...

Former French Justice Minister Robert Badinter, who was instrumental in France's banning of the death penalty, has made it his life's mission to see capital punishment abolished globally. 40 years after giving a speech that lead to the end of the death penalty in France, former Justice minister Robert Badinter continues to fight for the abolition of capital punishment around the world. "I am certain that the movement towards abolition will continue. Sooner or later it will win,” said Badinter Wednesday at a seminar organized by the French National Assembly to mark the 40th anniversary of the abolition of the death penalty. Badinter, 93, who served as Justice Minister under Socialist president Francois Mitterrand, fought to end capital punishment at a time when most of the French public supported the practice. On 17 September 1981, Badinter gave a historic, two-hour speech to members of parliament, in which he argued that only totalitarian regimes had the death penalty. “In...

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, France's president from 1974 to 1981, has died at the age of 94. He died of complications from coronavirus, surrounded by his family at his estate in central France. A centre-right, pro-Europe politician, Giscard d'Estaing also liberalised laws on divorce, abortion and contraception during his seven years in power. In later life, Giscard d'Estaing liked to portray himself as the grand old man of French politics. He was seen by many as arrogant and aloof; his presidential popularity was short-lived and he was eventually squeezed out of office by a strengthening of opposition from both the left and the right. Although he voiced his opposition to the death penalty, he refused to commute three of the death sentences passed during his term, and the last use of the guillotine in France took place in 1977. Giscard d'Estaing lost the 1981 presidential election to Francois Mitterrand, who shortly after his election commuted all standing death senten...

✔ Click here to Google translate this story into your own language Du 2 au 5 mars, Europe 1 propose de revivre un moment d'histoire : le combat de Robert Badinter contre la peine de mort.  Dans l'émission "Hondelatte raconte", l'ancien ministre de la Justice revient notamment sur son échec lors du procès de Roger Bontems en 1972, presque dix ans avant l'abolition de la peine capitale.  Robert Badinter s'est longuement confié à Christophe Hondelatte et lui a raconté la croisade qu'il a menée contre la peine de mort.  Dans le premier épisode, disponible en podcast (et ci-dessous ), l'ancien ministre de la Justice raconte son échec durant le procès de Roger Bontems.  Cet ancien militaire, condamné après une prise d'otage meurtrière dans la centrale de Clairvaux en 1972, avait été exécuté.  "J'ai le sentiment que c'était joué d'avance", se souvient-il. "J’admire cette espèce d’aveuglement de c...

Christian Ranucci, condenado en 1976 por el asesinato de la niña María Dolores Rambla, fue uno de los últimos ejecutados en Francia. El caso sigue provocando debate ➤ Click here to Google translate this article into your own language Las últimas palabras de Christian Ranucci se escucharon con claridad. “Rehabilítenme”, dijo. Después, el verdugo apretó el botón y la guillotina, fría e implacable, hizo su trabajo. La cabeza rebotó dos veces en el suelo de la prisión de Marsella. Eran las 4 horas y 13 minutos de la mañana del 28 de julio de 1976. Christian Ranucci, un muchacho de 22 años condenado por el asesinato de una niña de ocho, fue el antepenúltimo ejecutado en Francia antes de la abolición de la pena capital. El caso, que dejó una marca imborrable en los implicados, sigue obsesionando al país. Algunas incógnitas no se han despejado. Marsella es el puerto del Mediterráneo, la ciudad donde se mezclan italianos, españoles, argelinos y autóctonos, la gran caldera ...

Japan does not plan to review its death penalty anytime soon, Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa said Friday, despite her orders this month to execute all 13 AUM Shinrikyo cult members on death row sparking international criticism. "I think capital punishment is unavoidable for those who committed extremely grave and atrocious crimes, and the country's death penalty will not be re-examined immediately," Kamikawa told the press. All 13 former members of the doomsday cult who had been sitting on death row were executed on 2 occasions this month on Kamikawa's orders, prompting anti-death penalty campaigners to protest the massive enforcement of capital punishment in a short period of time. The number of executions carried out under Kamikawa has totaled 16, the highest number ordered by a single justice minister since Japan lifted its 40-month moratorium on capital punishment in 1993. ➤  FIND related content here AUM founder Shoko Asahara and 12 of his f...

Celui qui a été le symbole de la lutte contre la peine de mort et brièvement, celui de la réinsertion, est mort trois mois après avoir obtenu la suspension de sa peine pour motif médical. Patrick Henry, qui a passé quarante ans en prison pour le meurtre d’un enfant en 1977, est mort dimanche 3 décembre, à 64 ans, des suites d’un cancer, selon des proches et son avocat, Hugo Levy.  Il avait obtenu, il y a trois mois, la suspension de sa peine pour motif médical. L’homme avait été condamné en 1977 à la réclusion criminelle à perpétuité pour le meurtre de Philippe Bertrand, 7 ans.  Il avait échappé à la guillotine grâce notamment à la plaidoirie de son avocat d’alors, Robert Badinter. Devenu le symbole de la lutte contre la peine de mort, il était ensuite, brièvement, devenu celui de la réinsertion.  Sa condamnation à perpétuité n’étant pas assortie d’une période de sûreté illimitée, Patrick Henry avait obtenu une libération conditionnelle en 2001....