OxHRH Capital Punishment Seminar: Kenneth Smith's Planned Execution by Nitrogen Gas Inhalation

Professor Jon Yorke and Joel Zivot, MD recently filed a complaint about Kenny's upcoming execution to the United Nations. On 3 January, the UN gave a press release, expressing "alarm" and appealing for a halt to the execution. Professor Yorke and Dr Zivot will be joined by Luísa Vieira Barbosa, a Legal Intern and member of the Special Procedures Branch at the OHCHR, as well as Professor Margaret Satterthwaite, the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, who will be joining the event via live-stream from New York to provide a legal perspective under her UN mandate. The panel will discuss the legalities and ethical issues surrounding Alabama’s decision to use Nitrogen Gas Inhalation (‘Nitrogen Hypoxia”, “suffocation” or “Gassing”) as an execution method. Luísa Barbosa will also be happy to take questions from students interested in applying to be an Intern at the OHCHR.

The seminar is hosted by the Oxford Human Rights Hub and will take place in the Harold Lee Room at Pembroke College (directions can be obtained from the Lodge).