End of the death penalty? (part 2)

Support for the death penalty may be on the wane worldwide but as the Arab Spring rewrites constitutions, the abolition of capital punishment is by no means a given. In France, the death penalty is long gone. However, for many, the punishment still does not fit the crime, with some of the EU’s longest prison sentences.

DEBATE

Eric BERNARD. Spokesperson, "Together against the Death Penalty";
Celine BARDET. Jurist, International Criminal Law. Author, "Zone Sensible";
Avi BITTON. Human Rights Attorney, Avi Bitton Law Firm;
Richard C. DIETER. Executive Director, Death Penalty Information Center (from Washington).

Watch the first part here.

Produced by Anelise Borges, François Picard, Mary Colombel, Christopher Davis.

Presenter

François Picard

01/11/2010 - THE DEBATE

Ivory Coast: an election to end division?

There’s a lot riding on this week’s elections in Ivory Coast. Once one of the most peaceful and prosperous countries in Africa, the nation has been divided and beset by violence for over a decade. Officials say at least 80 percent of voters turned out to cast a ballot. The UN says that’s among the highest turnout ever for an African election. So could this be a turning point for Ivorians? Or a trigger for yet more turbulence?

29/10/2010 - THE DEBATE

Bin Laden’s threats to France - Part 2

The French government has authenticated a video message which shows the Al Qaeda chief issuing his first direct warning to the French telling them to “get their troops out of Afghanistan” and “stop oppressing Muslims at home with policies such as banning the burqa”. Does France have to take the threat seriously?

29/10/2010 - THE DEBATE

Bin Laden’s threats to France

27/10/2010 - THE DEBATE

Simmering Fury in the French Suburbs - Part 2

Five years ago, the deaths of two teenage boys sparked three weeks of violent riots in the French city suburbs. Thousands of people were wrested and 200 millions euros worth of damage was caused. Has anything changed? Or are France’s urban areas still a ticking time bomb waiting to explode?