Antoinette Chahine: 4 years against the death penalty in Ramonville!

Antoinette Chahine: 4 years against the death penalty in Ramonville!

What happened last week in Ramonville-Saint-Agne was not just a simple celebration, but a significant moment in the international fight against the death penalty. On November 27, as part of the community's fourth anniversary of membership in the Global Network of Cities Against the Death Penalty, Antoinette Chahine, an outstanding Lebanese activist, demonstrated the urgency of this issue. The event was organized in close collaboration with Amnesty International organized.

Mayor Christophe Lubac opened the event highlighting the long-standing partnership with Amnesty International. “Together we work tirelessly for human rights,” said Lubac. Amnesty representatives MM. Merle and Autier highlighted the progress made since 2021 through numerous awareness-raising actions and recalled the 40th anniversary of the abolition of the death penalty in France.

Antoinette Chahine's eventful history

Antoinette Chahine was wrongly sentenced to death in Lebanon in 1997 after being arrested in 1994. Their conviction was based on illegally obtained testimony obtained under torture. Not only has she experienced the cruel reality in Lebanese prisons, but she has also become a symbol of resistance against torture and the death penalty. She was rehabilitated in 1999 with the support of Amnesty International and has since then tirelessly campaigned for the rights of torture victims.

Although Lebanon stopped carrying out death sentences in 2004, the political and legal conditions there remain alarming. At the end of 2020, at least 82 people, including one woman, were awaiting completion of their sentences, while prisons have the worst conditions in the Middle East, with an occupancy rate of over 236%. Although the government has voted for a moratorium, the death penalty remains part of the system.

Commitment to a better future

At the event, Chahine had the opportunity to meet with the community's youth council. The exchange was seen as enriching and shows that education and awareness-raising are crucial steps in the fight against the death penalty. Chahine is internationally recognized as a human rights advocate and has attended six of the seven world congresses against the death penalty. Her passionate conversations at schools and other events encourage younger generations to actively support the abolition of the death penalty.

At the end of the evening, Mayor Lubac presented the activist with the medal from the city of Ramonville as a sign of appreciation for her commitment. “It is important that we talk to each other and share stories so that people understand the reality of the death penalty,” Chahine said.

Global perspectives on the death penalty

The significance of Chahine's commitment becomes even clearer in a global context. Loud Amnesty International At least 2,087 new death sentences were handed down worldwide in 2024, and the majority of executions took place in China, Iran and Saudi Arabia. What is particularly disturbing is that in these countries the death penalty is often carried out without transparent legal procedures. In 2023, executions for drug offenses alone were documented, further explaining the issue.

The discussion about the death penalty has lost none of its relevance. Chahine and the committed citizens of Ramonville-Saint-Agne are part of a larger fight for justice and humanity. It is never too late for change, and where commitment is so strong, the dream of a world without the death penalty may one day become a reality.