Together Against the Death Penalty

Together Against the Death Penalty (French: Ensemble contre la peine de mort, ECPM) is a French non-governmental organisation founded in 2000 that campaigns for the universal abolition of capital punishment. It was co-founded by Olivier Déchaud, Michel Taube, Stéphanie Marqui and Jean-François Daniel, following a pamphlet by Michel Taube and a petition that gathered more than 500,000 signatures in partnership with Télérama and Marie-Claire. The organisation is headquartered in France and operates as an international advocacy and education NGO. ECPM's mission is to promote the abolition of the death penalty worldwide through advocacy, awareness-raising, education and by federating international abolitionist forces. It holds consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 2016 and has been an observer at the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) since 2017. The organisation supports the creation of national and regional coalitions, conducts investigative missions in retentionist countries, and carries out capacity-building with local actors. It works in 15 countries of action, with 200 members, 39 partner associations and 14 field partners, and an annual budget of 1.5 million euros. ECPM founded the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty in 2002 and served as its executive secretariat until 2012. It organises the World Congress Against the Death Penalty every three years, the largest global abolitionist event. It also initiated the idea of the World Day Against the Death Penalty (originally a European Day). In 2017 it launched the PDH – Plateforme Droits de l'Homme, bringing together French human rights NGOs active internationally. Its current president is Aminata Niakaté (since November 2020), and its director general is Raphael Chenuil-Hazan (since 2009). Robert Badinter was its honorary president and a leading figure until his death. ECPM's activities include lobbying for international treaties, studying detention conditions on death rows, producing reports (such as the annual report on the death penalty in Iran with Iran Human Rights), participating in Universal Periodic Reviews, running media campaigns against death sentences, and educating young people through projects like "Éduquer à l'abolition" and the poster contest "Dessine-moi l'abolition". The organisation is a reference NGO for the abolition of the death penalty.

Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM) was founded in 2000 in France, following a pamphlet by Michel Taube titled "Lettre ouverte aux Américains pour l'abolition de la peine de mort" (Open Letter to Americans for the Abolition of the Death Penalty) published by Éditions L'Écart, and a petition that collected more than 500,000 signatures in partnership with Télérama and Marie-Claire. The organisation was co-founded by Olivier Déchaud, Michel Taube, Stéphanie Marqui and Jean-François Daniel. Michel Taube served as its first president, followed by Olivier Déchaud from 2005 to 2019. Alain Morvan succeeded Déchaud in November 2019, and Aminata Niakaté became president in November 2020. Robert Badinter, a leading French abolitionist and former Minister of Justice, was the honorary president and a guiding figure from the beginning, participating in all World Congresses except Brussels in 2019, where he sent a video message. In 2001, the Strasbourg Congress took place, and in 2002 ECPM founded the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, serving as its executive secretariat until the coalition became independent in 2012. ECPM also created and organises the World Congress Against the Death Penalty every three years, bringing together thousands of abolitionists worldwide. It initiated the idea of the World Day Against the Death Penalty, initially as a European Day. In 2005, ECPM received the Human Rights Prize from Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin for its investigative mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2009, it launched the "Éduquer à l'abolition" project targeting students aged 12 to 18, and Raphael Chenuil-Hazan became director general. In 2016, ECPM obtained consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). In 2017, it became an observer at the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and launched the PDH – Plateforme Droits de l'Homme, uniting French human rights NGOs active internationally. In 2020, it published a report on the situation of death row prisoners in the DRC. ECPM has conducted investigative missions in Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United States, Cameroon, Mauritania, Lebanon, Malaysia, Indonesia, Tunisia and Morocco. Since 2010, it has published an annual report on the death penalty in Iran in collaboration with Iran Human Rights. It has participated in campaigns such as the support for Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani in 2009. The organisation continues to advocate for the universal abolition of the death penalty through lobbying, education and public mobilisation.

• 2020

  Aminata Niakaté becomes president; ECPM publishes a report on death row prisoners in the DRC.

• 2019

  Alain Morvan becomes president, succeeding Olivier Déchaud.

• 2017

  ECPM becomes observer at the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights; launches PDH – Plateforme Droits de l'Homme.

• 2016

  ECPM obtains consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

• 2012

  World Coalition Against the Death Penalty becomes independent from ECPM.

• 2010

  ECPM begins publishing an annual report on the death penalty in Iran with Iran Human Rights.

• 2009

  Raphael Chenuil-Hazan becomes director general; launch of the 'Éduquer à l'abolition' project.

• 2005

  ECPM receives the Human Rights Prize from Dominique de Villepin for its investigative mission in the DRC.

• 2002

  ECPM founds the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty and serves as its executive secretariat until 2012.

• 2001

  Strasbourg Congress held, leading to the creation of the World Coalition.

• 2000

  ECPM founded in France by Olivier Déchaud, Michel Taube, Stéphanie Marqui and Jean-François Daniel.

Reference international NGO for the universal abolition of the death penalty, combining advocacy, education and field investigations.

• World Congress Against the Death Penalty

  Triennial global event organised by ECPM, the largest abolitionist gathering worldwide.

• World Coalition Against the Death Penalty

  International coalition founded by ECPM in 2002; ECPM served as its executive secretariat until 2012.

• Annual report on the death penalty in Iran

  Published since 2010 in collaboration with Iran Human Rights to promote transparency.

• Dessine-moi l'abolition

  International poster contest for young people aged 12 to 25, launched as part of educational activities.

• Éduquer à l'abolition

  Educational project launched in 2009 targeting students aged 12 to 18.

1. 1ECPM official websiteecpm.org
2. 2Notre histoire - ECPMecpm.org
3. 3Visages et parcours de l’abolition - ECPMecpm.org
4. 4Wikidata: together against the death penaltywikidata.org
5. 5Wikipedia FR: Ensemble contre la peine de mortfr.wikipedia.org