Abolition of the death penalty

The 5th Regional Congress on the Death Penalty, organized by “Ensemble contre la peine de mort” (ECPM) from 7 to 9 November 2025, at Rissho University, Tokyo, gathered hundreds of participants, including lawyers, academics, civil society representatives, journalists, diplomats, former death-row prisoners, and young human rights activists from East Asia in particular.

It served as a platform to address capital punishment in East Asia, foster regional cooperation, and develop strategies in view of the 2026 World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Paris. Over three days, the event included inter alia plenaries, thematic roundtables, interactive workshops, youth-focused sessions.

A key component of the Congress was a meeting on “Establishing an International Network of Young Ambassadors for the Abolition”, held on 8 November 2025.

This session brought together a group of around twenty young people from Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and South Korea. The meeting was chaired by Mr Gilberto Jéronimo, Ambassador of Portugal to Japan and former Permanent Representative of Portugal to the Council of Europe where he also assumed the role of chef de file for the abolition of the death penalty, alongside Mr Nicolas Perron, ECPM’s Director of Programs. It enabled participants to learn, network, and identify practical steps to promote the abolition in the region.

During the meeting, speakers presented the seminars "Death is not Justice – youth advocacy and awareness-raising for the abolition of the death penalty" previously held in Europe and the concept of young ambassadors against the death penalty. Each young participant addressed the situation of the death penalty in their respective countries, the role of youth in promoting the abolition, and the challenges of raising public awareness on this issue. The meeting offered participants opportunities to connect, share experiences, and explore avenues for collaboration beyond the Regional Congress. Additionally, it aimed to contribute to prepare for youth involvement in the 2026 World Congress.