Bangladesh: stop punishing human rights work
9 June 2022: Bangladeshi authorities should immediately reverse their decision to deregister prominent human rights organization, Odhikar, eleven organizations said. You can read the joint statement here.
Malaysia's Government announces its decision to abolish the mandatory death penalty
The Malaysian Government announced its decision to abolish the mandatory death penalty on 10 June 2022. You can read CPJP’s statement here.
Join us to celebrate the centenary of abolition of the death penalty in Queensland
Learn why the death penalty is still relevant to Australians today
Please join us on 1 August to celebrate the centenary of abolition of the death penalty in Queensland. We will be sending out a registration link shortly, but in the meantime you may register your interest to attend by emailing: admin@jwmf.com.au with the subject line ‘1 August’.
Click here to read more about the event. You can donate here to support CPJP’s charitable work.
CPJP STRONGLY CONDEMNS THE EXECUTION OF NAGAENTHRAN K DHARMALINGHAM IN SINGAPORE ON 27 APRIL 2022
We mourn the death of Nagaenthran, and send wishes of strength to Nagaen’s family, and the lawyers and activists who fought for Nagaen. Singapore cut an intellectually disabled person off from the world but we heard your voice Nagaen.
Click here to read CPJP’s full statement.
#SaveNagaenthran: Stop Nagen from Being Executed
Rights groups and business leaders join together to challenge Singapore's plans to execute man with intellectual disability
After the recent dismissal of Nagaenthran Dharmalingam’s appeal to Singapore’s Court of Appeal, his family has received notice of his execution scheduled for 27 April 2022. Nagaenthran has an intellectual disability and has deteriorating mental health. He should not be executed.
Please click here to read Richard Branson’s interview with Chris Barrett at The Age. You can read what Capital Punishment Justice Project (CPJP) said about the impending execution here.
Bangladesh: Stop Reprisals Against Victims, Activists
Instead Prioritize Accountability for Human Rights Abuses
Bangladesh should immediately cease harassment and reprisals against victims of human rights violations, human rights defenders, and their families, twelve organisations including Capital Punishment Justice Project (CPJP) said. Instead, the government should focus its efforts on ensuring full accountability for the serious human rights abuses that persist in the country.
Our organisations oppose the death penalty in all circumstances for all people, and support the imposition of sanctions by various governments in response to credible and widespread allegations of serious human rights abuses including extrajudicial killings, torture,and enforced disappearances.
Please click here to read the joint statement.
Joint statement opposing executions in Singapore
Ensemble contre la peine de mort (ECPM), Responsible Business Initiative for Justice, Eleos Justice, Capital Punishment Justice Project (CPJP) and Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN) are dismayed that Singapore has scheduled two executions for Wednesday, 16th February.
Our organisations oppose the death penalty in all circumstances for all people, and note that there is a global trend towards ending the practice for the intellectually disabled and mentally ill. Our organisations also stand in solidarity with the local legal team defending the lives of those at risk of execution.
Please click here to read the joint statement.
Joint written statement to the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council
Bangladesh: Stop reprisals against human rights defenders and their families
In Bangladesh, human rights defenders have faced increased criminalization. Many have been charged with documenting cases of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and other human rights violations. Coercion, intimidation, and harassment committed by members of the state security and intelligence agencies on those working to document and speak out against human rights violations only further affirm the government’s active role in stifling and criminalizing dissent. To read the joint written statement to 49th Session of the UN Human Rights Council click here. To read the written submission please click here, and to read the joint public statement please click here.
Papua New Guinea repeals the death penalty
Capital Punishment Justice Project (CPJP), Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN) and Eleos Justice commend the decision on 21 January 2022 by the Parliament of Papua New Guinea (PNG) to repeal the death penalty. This is a moment of historical importance for the global anti-death penalty movement, and it is also a significant victory for human rights in the Asia Pacific region. Click here to read our statement.
Joint statement on sentencing of Sri Lankan prison superintendent to the death penalty
Join us for Human Rights Day and online art auction
Muzafar Ali, Hazara photographer and human rights activist from Afghanistan, and director of a refugee led program in Indonesia and Thailand.
Azadah Raz Mohammad, PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne and legal scholar from Afghanistan who has worked in close collaboration with the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and the Afghan Ministry of Justice,
and moderated by film producer and director of Savage Films, Maggie Miles.
There will also be an opportunity to bid for a special piece of art, Friends by Yosl Bergner, and a guest appearance by Shaike ‘I am art’ Snir to discuss the meaning of the artwork and its relevance to Human Rights Day and the themes of CPJP’s Afghanistan initiative. CPJP is delighted to announce an online art auction through Lawsons, made possible with the support and vision of Shaike Snir I Am Art. Combine your love of art with support for a good cause. Please contact us if you are interested in purchasing a piece of art not yet marked sold online.
Artwork produced by child of individual at risk in Afghanistan
CPJP Virtual Experience Program in partnership with Forage
CPJP has launched a free virtual experience program, in partnership with Forage, that enables participants to learn more about CPJP’s mission for a world without the death penalty and start building skills and experience directly relevant to volunteering with CPJP.
The program consists of a series of tasks that closely mirror the type of work you could expect to do while volunteering at CPJP. It is recommended for participants who have studied or are interested in law, international relations, diplomacy, human rights, policy, advocacy and communications, and those who are interested in the promotion and protection of human rights around the world.
The program is free and open to anyone around the world. The program takes approximately 6 hours to complete and is entirely self-paced.
Get started here: CPJP Virtual Experience Program
Bangladesh: Immediate Moratorium on Executions Must Be Imposed
Capital Punishment Justice Project joins Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN) and International Federation of Human Rights in urging Bangladesh to immediately halt the impending execution of Shukur Ali, in violation of his right to a fair trial and in total disregard of due process.
See our joint statement here: Joint Statement – Bangladesh Executions
Singapore: Halt Impending Execution of Intellectually Disabled Person
Solidarity with Nagaenthran
Capital Punishment Justice Project joins 27 organisations and networks and counsel M. Ravi in urging the Singaporean Government to immediately halt the impending execution of Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam; and in calling on UN entities, the European Union, and all relevant stakeholders to take urgent action. Click here for the joint statement.

World Day Against the Death Penalty:
Virtual fireside conversation with guest speaker Sunny Jacobs


Risks to life posed by information sharing
Media release

Emergency assistance to evacuate Afghans at risk of death
Capital Punishment Justice Project is working to support specific individuals who are at risk of death or harm if they are not transported to the airport and evacuated from Kabul.
In July 2021, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission said in areas controlled by Taliban, women, government officials, journalists, and human rights defenders (among others) were facing targeted killings.
Join us in assisting them and helping to shine a spotlight on their urgent situation here.
Statement on the passing of CHRP Chairperson Chito Gascon

Urgent call to protect human rights defenders in Indonesia
CPJP has joined civil society organisations calling on the Indonesian authorities to put an end to any attempts to thwart freedom of speech and expression against Haris Azhar, the Executive Director of Lokataru and Fatia Maulidiyanti, the National Coordinator of The Commission for Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), and all other human rights defenders in the country.
KontraS is CPJP’s closest partner in work to abolish the death penalty and extra-judicial killings in Indonesia. Their role is fundamentally important for death penalty abolition in the region. The subpoena will have a chilling effect across all areas of human rights work, including for our mission. This is the fundamental reason for our intervention.
Please share our joint statement here.
Human Rights Day: open letter to the Australian government
The Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) reached in principle by Japan and Australia provides a legal framework for the Australian Defence Force and the Japanese Self-Defence Force to operate in each other’s territories.
However, there has been no public guarantee to date that Australian military personnel would not be subject to the death penalty in Japan.
Click here to read and sign our open letter to the Australian government.
Capital Punishment Justice Project (CPJP) stands for a world without the death penalty.
We work with our volunteers, interns, and board to develop legal and policy solutions that will help save lives.
LEGAL REPRESENTATION
ADVOCACY AND POLICY WORK
VOLUNTEERING
WHO WE ARE
Capital Punishment Justice Project (CPJP) stands for a world without the death penalty. We work with our partner organisations, volunteers, interns, and board to develop legal and policy solutions that will help save lives.
CPJP (formerly Reprieve Australia) was founded in Melbourne, Australia, in 2001 by criminal barristers Richard Bourke and Nick Harrington to provide legal representation and humanitarian assistance to those at risk of execution. Initially, our task was to provide volunteer assistance to capital defence centres in the US and while we remain committed to this essential work, our focus is on challenging the death penalty in Asia. CPJP’s Australian base offers strategic advantages for the work, despite our regional outlook. Australia has identified abolition of the death penalty as one of its human rights priority areas, and there is much that can be done to ensure that Australia is a leading voice on abolition.
Our Board is led by Stephen Keim SC and comprises 7 voluntary Board members. We operate on a small budget comprised of donations and grants, which covers our casework, research, policy work, advocacy and educational work.
CPJP strives to be practical and effective. We give our time for free, so we have no time to waste. Our approach is to be flexible in the ways we assist. Our strategies focus on providing sensible and sophisticated assistance and support to those working for change, with a particular focus on countries in our region.