Carolyn Hoyle presents at UN Human Rights Council panel on the death penalty

On 23 February 2021, Professor Carolyn Hoyle participated as a panellist in the UN Human Rights Council's (HRC) biennial high-level panel discussion on the question of the death penalty. The theme of the 2021 panel was ‘Human rights violations related to the use of the death penalty, in particular with respect to whether the use of the death penalty has a deterrent effect on crime’.

Chaired by the President of the HRC, and with an opening statement from Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the panel also involved the Minister of Justice of Chad, the Commissioner of the International Commission against the Death Penalty and a Member of the UN Human Rights Committee.

Following formal presentations, the floor opened for speakers from many abolitionist and retentionist states around the world. Professor Hoyle's recorded presentation on the question of deterrence can be viewed below, and a recording of the full proceedings is available on the UN website.