The International NETWORK

1) Relations with other centers or participation in networks.

The consolidated trajectory of the research team led by the Coordinator of the RED makes available an extensive network of contacts with scientific and university institutions. Among the collaborating foreign universities we can mention:

• Max-Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law in Freiburg de Br (Germany),
• Max-Planck Institute for International and Comparative Criminal Law in Zagreb (Croatia);
• National Institute of Criminal Sciences of Mexico (INACIPE);
• UNAM Legal Research Institute;
• University of Sao Paulo (Brazil);
• Brazilian Institute of Criminal Sciences;
• University of Buenos Aires (Argentina);
• Justice Systems Program of the Interamerican and Sacred Heart Universities (Puerto Rico).

In addition, the Institute of European and International Criminal Law works on the question of the death penalty in various research projects coordinated and financed by the main scientific societies of criminal law in the world: International Society for Social Defense, International Association of Criminal Law, Association Latin American Criminal Law and Criminology, International Society of Criminology.

They also collaborate Spanish institutions, the University of Salamanca, University of Valladolid; University of Barcelona; University Carlos III of Madrid; Autonomous University of Madrid; Sevilla University; Pablo Olavide University; University of Valencia; University of the Basque Country; and the National University of Distance Education of Spain.

2) Foreign associates in the NETWORK.

The work and tasks of dissemination, discussion and advice developed by the NETWORK will always count on the collaboration of the highest international exponents on the process of abolition of the death penalty, who will integrate the Network as associates. RED researchers, especially predoctoral researchers, will be encouraged to carry out research stays at the academic institutions of these associated members, to create synergies and to connect young Spaniards with the main international academic centers.

• WILLIAM SCHABAS. Professor of International Law, Middlesex University.
• STEFANO MANACORDA. Full Professor of Criminal Law, Second University of Naples.
• ANABELA MARIA PINTO DE MIRANDA RODRIGUES. Chair of Penal Derecho, University of Coimbra.
• JON YORKE. Professor of Human Rights and Director of the Centre for Human Rights, Birmingham City University.
• SERGIO GARCIA RAMIREZ. National Researcher Emeritus of the Institute of Legal Research of Mexico. He has been a member and President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
• REINALDO SUAREZ SUAREZ. Professor of Historical Foundations of the State of the Universidad de Oriente.
• JOHN BESSLER. Associate Professor of Criminal Law, University of Baltimore.
• LUIGI FOFANI. Professor of Criminal Law, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. Secretary General of the International Society for Social Defense.

We will also have an Advisory and Observation Council, made up of

• FEDERICO MAYOR ZARAGOZA. Former President of the International Commission against the Death Penalty and former Director General of UNESCO.
• JOSE LUIS RODRIGUEZ SHOE. President of the Government of Spain 2004-2011, honorary member of the International Commission and author of pro-abolition initiatives in various countries
• JOAQUÍN JOSÉ MARTÍNEZ, Spaniard exonerated from death row.

3) Relations with international governmental organizations and institutions.

The contributions and conclusions of the RED will be disseminated as the results of the research through the holding of Congresses and the publication of scientific works in various formats (books, articles in high-impact scientific journals, blogs). The RED will provide these works, contributions and conclusions to different international, European and national bodies, in order to transmit the news of the death penalty in the international context and propose lines of criminal political action to advance the international process of abolition, as well as as in the humanization of criminal law, especially in the catalog of penalties. Such international bodies and organizations are:

• United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Within the framework of this institution, the RED would formally present the request for the creation of a “Special Procedure for a thematic mandate” on the death penalty, moratorium and safeguards.
• United Nations Human Rights Commission
• United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Commission (UNODOC)
• Council of europe
• Inter-American Court of Human Rights and European Court of Human Rights. The legal concept of cruelty that the RED intends to develop to prohibit the death penalty will be of enormous value to illustrate and outline the jurisprudence of these jurisdictional instances.
• International Commission against the Death Penalty. This legal concept of cruelty will be of enormous value to illustrate and outline the jurisprudence of the main jurisdictional instances (Inter-American Court of Human Rights, European Court of Human Rights and Spanish Constitutional Court).

Founding members of the International Network against the death penalty.