Opening ceremony

The Opening Ceremony of the 6th World Congress Against the Death Penalty is dedicated to the next steps toward abolition. It is the chosen place of expression for States and intergovernmental organisations wishing to testify as to their international commitment and progress in their country regarding the death penalty.

21st June - Opera house - Oslo

The Organisers of the Congress

• Robert Badinter, Former Minister of Justice who abolished the death penalty in France in 1981, former President of the Constitutional Council, member of the International Commission Against the Death Penalty, France
• Raphaël Chenuil-Hazan, Executive Director of ECPM, France
• Antonio Stango, Coordinator of the 6th World Congress Against the Death Penalty, ECPM


Introductory words and welcome

• Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
• Stavros Lambrinidis, European Union Special Representative for Human Rights
• Børge Brende, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Norway
• Jean-Marc Ayrault, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, France


Next steps: commitment towards abolition

• Hajah Nancy Shukri, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department as the Minister in charge of Law, Malaysia
• Flavien Mbata, Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Central African Republic
• Ali Abu Diak, Minister of Justice, State of Palestine
• Achraf Rifi, Minister of Justice, Lebanon
• Ang Vong Vathana, Minister of Justice, Cambodia
• Christophe Mboso N’Kodia Pwanga, Deputy Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Support Group for Abolition of the Death Penalty

• Philip Ruddock, Special Envoy for Human Rights, Australia
• Ignacio Ybañez, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Spain
• Benedetto Della Vedova, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy
• Jacques Bilodeau, Special Advisor to the Secretary-General of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie
• Armand De Decker, Minister of State, representative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Belgium
• Georges Martin, Deputy State Secretary of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland


Video Message 

His Holiness Pope Francis, Head of State, the Vatican


Political participation during the congress

Many senior political representatives participated in the debates and exchanges of views during the three days of the Congress. Besides the participants at the official ceremonies (Opening and Closing), the Congress provided many other opportunities for strong interaction between senior political actors and the delegates.

Sessions opened by

• Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe – plenary session “the importance of NHRIs in the abolitionist cause”
• Tsakhiagiyn Elbegdorj, President, Mongolia (video message) – plenary session “Progress and set-backs in Asia: lessons to be learnt”
• Hon. Mangala Samareweera, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sri Lanka – plenary session “Progress and set backs in Asia: lessons to be learnt”
• Ibrahim Najjar, former Minister of Justice, Lebanon, member of the International Commission Against the Death Penalty (video message) – roundtable “the political use of the death penalty to counter terrorism”
• Olemic Thommessen, President of the Parliament-Storting, Norway – parliamentarian side event at the Storting


Formal closing session

The formal Closing Session announces the initiatives developed during the Congress, future commitments, and reads out the participants’ final declaration. It is the place for the synergies which exist between the political, voluntary sector, legal and academic spheres to be expressed. For this 6th Congress, the place of honour will be given to the speech by the Nobel Peace Prize winners, the common thread of the evening in this place which is dedicated to the award ceremonies of this highly symbolic prize.

23rd june - City Hall - Oslo
With the participation of:
• Marianne Borgen, Mayor of Oslo, Norway
• Tore Hattrem, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Norway
• Bayartsetseg Jigmiddash, Secretary of State for Justice, Mongolia
• Erasmo Lara Cabrera, Executive Director of Human Rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mexico
• Federico Mayor Zaragosa, former Executive Director of UNESCO, President of the International Commission Against the Death Penalty
• Élizabeth Zitrin, President of the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty
• Raphaël Chenuil-Hazan and Emmanuel Maistre, Executive Director and Secretary-General of ECPM, France

Initiatives in favour of abolition: common messages
• Parliamentarians Against the Death Penalty - message by Kasthuri Patto, MP (Malaysia), Secretary of the Women’s Caucus of the Malaysian Parliament and Member of Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA)
• Messages from the National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI), Gillian Triggs - President of the Australian Human Rights Commission
• The Cities for life: appeal from Mayors Against the Death Penalty – message carried by Mario Marazziti - Spokesperson for the community of Sant Egidio
• The Bar Associations Against the Death Penalty - appeal launched by the Bar associations of Paris & Oslo, Dominique Attias - vice-president of the Bar association of Paris,
• Followed by a motion by the International Observatory for Lawyers in Danger by Richard Sedillot, Spokesperson of ECPM and President of the IOLD-OIAD
• Appeal from Universities Against the Death Penalty - launched by Professor Ole Petter Ottersen - President of the Universities Against the Death Penalty Worldwide Network, Rector of the University of Oslo

Common thread: the Nobel peace prize winners
• Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, winner of the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize, Tunisia – Halima Jouini, Vice-President of the Tunisian Human Rights League – Sami Tahri, Secretary-General of the UGTT – Mr Mohamed Fadhel Mahfoudh, President of the Tunisian Order of Lawyers • Archibishop Desmond Tutu, winner of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize, South Africa (video) • José Ramos-Horta, winner of the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize, Timor-Leste (video)


Tributes to
Marco Pannella, leader of the Italian Radical Party, founder and honorary President of Hands Off Cain


Testimony from
Byson Kaula, former death row prisoner, Malawi


Ceremony followed by the global march against the death penalty through the streets of Oslo