We invite you to join an event on the eve of International Human Rights Day that brings together scholars, practitioners, and the public to reflect on the enduring principles of dignity and equality in the realm of criminal justice. From the global to the local, our speakers will share their stories of seeking justice through law, advocacy, and art.
From Uganda, our first speaker is Susan Kigula who was sentenced to death in 2002. After studying law on death row, Susan - successfully - sued the Ugandan state on behalf of all 418 death row inmates, with the Supreme Court ordering in 2009 that all death penalty cases should be reviewed. Susan herself was released in 2016 and has become an advocate for global justice.
Susan Kigula. Photo: Jan Banning
We are also focusing on human rights close to home. Human rights are part of our daily lives, often without us even realising it. To make that tangible, we - together with filmmaker True Heroes Films and photographic artist Jan Banning - are working on the project ‘Utrecht: City of People and Law,’ in which we explore, visualize, disseminate, and connect human rights. Power, justice and (in)equality are central themes in Banning’s work.
The City of Utrecht's first Human Rights Ambassador, Alma Mustafić, will also join us. Alma's passion for human rights comes from her own personal experiences, having survived the Srebrenica genocide in 1995. Alma is an educator and researcher at Utrecht University of Applied Sciences and also uses the arts in her work.
Dr Julie Fraser of the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM) will chair the event. Julie is a human rights expert from Australia who has experience both in academia and practice, as she previously worked at the International Criminal Court.
Expect an inspiring evening with a lively exchanging of ideas.