From Cheap Death to Contemporary Scaffolds/ Reza Harisi

Public execution—a phenomenon in which the final moments of a human being’s life are put on public display—goes beyond mere punishment and, in Marcel Mauss’s terms, constitutes a “total social fact” that encompasses all dimensions of a society’s life (legal, political, religious, economic, ethical, and cultural). While the global trend in the modern era has […]...

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Public Execution: Reproduction of Violence Instead of Deterrence/ Toutia Partovi Amoli

Public execution is a punishment that, in some societies, has been used as a tool aimed at deterring crime and instilling fear. Nevertheless, according to statistical studies and scientific findings, carrying out punishment in public not only has no significant effect on reducing violent crime rates but also leads to the normalization and reproduction of […]...

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Why Should Public Execution Be Abolished?/ Neda Ghanbari

A thorough examination of historical experiences, human rights principles, and findings from psychology and criminology clearly indicates that public execution not only lacks any deterrent effect but also carries profound social, psychological, and moral consequences for society. Although some proponents view public execution as a tool for creating fear and reducing crime, in practice, it […]...

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From “No to Execution” and “Do Not Execute” to “Uprising Against Execution” / Elaheh Amani

Notes on Executions in Iran and the World. “Although I have lost two members of my family to assassination, I am firmly and explicitly against the death penalty for those who have been sentenced to death.” These are the words of Coretta Scott King, a writer, activist, and one of the leaders of the American […]...

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