9th World Congress Against the Death Penalty: Themis International Joins Global Leaders in Paris

Paris, France — Over 1,300 state representatives, parliamentarians, legal professionals, civil society advocates, and youth leaders from nearly 100 countries gathered in Paris from June 30 to July 2, 2026, for the 9th World Congress Against the Death Penalty. Organized by Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM – Ensemble contre la peine de mort) and held under the patronage of France, the European Union, and Switzerland, the triennial summit served as a vital platform to counter rising global executions and advance human dignity.

Representing Themis International Human Rights Association, Vice-President Arayik Grigorian joined international delegations across key parliamentary venues, including the Maison de la Radio et de la Musique and the Hôtel de Lassay (National Assembly), contributing directly to sessions on youth advocacy, judicial accountability, and legal resilience.

The Opening Plenary and Global Keynotes

The Opening Ceremony at the Maison de la Radio et de la Musique set an urgent diplomatic tone, moderated by death row survivor Pete Ouko and France 24 journalist Florence Villeminot. Opening remarks were delivered by Radio France President Sibyle Veil, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot, and ECPM leaders Raphaël Chenuil-Hazan and Aminata Niakaté.

The high-level multilateral panel featured global voices including UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, La Francophonie Secretary General Louise Mushikiwabo, and a video address from UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

Addressing delegates during the opening panel, Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset underscored Europe’s historic milestone, stating:

The Council of Europe opposes the death penalty. Everywhere. Under all circumstances… No single execution has been carried out in our member states since 1997; a whole generation has grown up in Europe without knowing the death penalty.

The opening sessions also highlighted major state commitments:

• Lebanon’s Path to Abolition: Justice Minister Adel Nassar announced his government’s decisive commitment toward abolition.
• Morocco as 2029 Host: Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi formally invited the world to host the 10th World Congress in Morocco.
• International Progress: Ministers from Sierra Leone (Alpha Sesay), Chad (Ndolenodji Alixe Naimbaye), Central African Republic (Arnaud Djoubaye Abazene), and Cambodia (Koeut Rith) shared updates on ratifying the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR.

The ceremony closed with moving testimonies from Hideko Hakamata (sister of Iwao Hakamata, freed after 46 years on Japan’s death row) and French historian Philippe Maurice, alongside a tribute to the late Robert Badinter.

President Emmanuel Macron’s Address

French President Emmanuel Macron addressed participants, emphasizing that capital punishment has never made society safer:

The death penalty has never made a society safer. Never. Because it does not deter… It can be a weapon, it is never a shield.

Macron framed abolition as an essential democratic principle, stating that even those who commit serious crimes retain a shared humanity which no state has the power to deny.

Core Themes, Youth Leadership, and the Council of Europe Network

Over three days, delegates tackled core issues including the resurgence of executions, systemic discrimination, socio-economic impacts, and the evolving role of the judiciary. 50 young ambassadors from 30 countries joined numerous students to pass abolitionist values to new generations. Representing this next-generation leadership was Arayik Grigorian, Vice-President of Themis International. Building on his ongoing work as a Youth Ambassador for the Abolition of the Death Penalty to the Council of Europe, Mr. Grigorian bridged human rights work with youth advocacy.

The National Assembly Closing Ceremony and Looking Forward

Under the patronage of National Assembly President Yaël Braun-Pivet, the official closing ceremony gathered leaders within the gilded halls of the Hôtel de Lassay.

A central highlight was presenting the Grand Prix Robert Badinter – named in honor of the late abolitionist leader – to Congolese criminal defense lawyer Maître Liévin Ngondji for his lifetime dedication to universal abolition. The summit concluded with an activist final gathering at the Place de la Concorde under the banner of #ABOLITION NOW.

The global abolitionist community now looks ahead to 2029, when the 10th World Congress Against the Death Penalty will convene in Morocco.

For Themis International, participating in this congress marks a critical milestone in aligning organizational advocacy with international frameworks. We remain fully dedicated to fighting capital punishment, defending human dignity, and supporting the global movement toward universal abolition.