Ambassador of France, Mr Nicolas Galey has reaffirmed his country’s commitment to support Pakistan in abolition of death penalty and termed it a good and positive sign that for the last five years no capital punishment has been executed in the country.
He was addressing the screening of two documentaries ‘Shackled: The Tragic Life of Ghulam Abbas’ and ‘Unfathomable: The Story of Sharafat’ at the Alliance Francaise (AF) as chief guest. The event was jointly hosted by the Justice Project Peace Pakistan (JPP), AF and the Embassy of France to mark the International Human Rights Day (December 10).
“Shackled” explores the life of Ghulam Abbas, a petitioner in the SafiaBano judgment of 2021. Despite critical legal protections for prisoners with psychosocial disabilities, Abbas spent over a decade on death row and died owing to disregard and neglect. His case underscores the urgent need to implement these protections meaningfully.
‘The Story of Sharafat’ recounts the journey of the one of the six death-row prisoners facing execution in 2022. Despite being wrongfully convicted, Sharafat’s story exposes the systemic flaws in Pakistan’s criminal justice system, from entrenched power imbalances to flawed forensic processes.
The French ambassador was visibly moved to see the documentaries and praised the JPP and its Executive Director Sarah Belal for raising the voice of those who have been suffering for years due to flaws in criminal justice system. We have gathered here to reiterate our commitment to support all those who have been monitoring issues on death penalty, said Ambassador Nicolas.
Human rights are universal, and events like these remind us of the urgent need to amplify the voices of the marginalized and call for systemic reforms in criminal justice system, he said.
The French envoy recalled that one year ago at his residence 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was celebrated. “This year too we want to celebrate the day with JPP as key partner in monitoring issues of death penalty. “Our Constitution includes an article which states that ‘No one can be sentenced to death penalty,” said the ambassador categorically. Sarah Belal said, “The stories of Sharaft and Ghulam Abbas remind us that every life matters and that no one should be condemned to suffer injustices born of systemic failures. The resilience of individuals like Sharafat and Ghulam Abbas should inspire us to demand better – from our laws, our systems, and ourselves.”
Dr. MowadatRana said that the SafiaBano judgment was a watershed moment, but its promise remains unfulfilled. “We must ensure that legal protections for those with psychosocial disabilities are not just symbolic but implemented with rigor and compassion,” he said. Director Alliance Francaise Ali Bhatti earlier welcomed the guests at the AF saying it was dedicated to reflect not only on the principles of human rights but on the real, human stories that underscore their importance.
