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Livets okränkbarhet i förhållande till dödsstraffet – En rättshistorisk utredning av dödsstraffets avskaffande i de skandinaviska länderna

Chahrour, Fatma LU (2020) LAGF03 20202
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract (Swedish)
Människor dör dagligen till följd av sjukdom, ålderdom eller olyckshändelser, men hur många dör med anledning av en dödsdom? För några århundranden sedan var detta ett vanligt förekommande fenomen, men i de flesta moderna och civiliserade samhällen idag, är det något otänkbart. Staten har i uppgift att beskydda sina medborgare oavsett deras handlande. Enskildas brottsliga handlingar bör ses i ljuset av rådande omständigheter. Denna uppsats syftar till att utreda varför Sverige, Norge och Danmark avskaffade dödsstraffet, och om det finns likheter respektive skillnader länderna emellan gällande dess argumentation. Detta undersöktes med hjälp av en komparativ metod med rättshistoriskt inslag. I samtliga debatter kunde straffrättsteoretikern... (More)
Människor dör dagligen till följd av sjukdom, ålderdom eller olyckshändelser, men hur många dör med anledning av en dödsdom? För några århundranden sedan var detta ett vanligt förekommande fenomen, men i de flesta moderna och civiliserade samhällen idag, är det något otänkbart. Staten har i uppgift att beskydda sina medborgare oavsett deras handlande. Enskildas brottsliga handlingar bör ses i ljuset av rådande omständigheter. Denna uppsats syftar till att utreda varför Sverige, Norge och Danmark avskaffade dödsstraffet, och om det finns likheter respektive skillnader länderna emellan gällande dess argumentation. Detta undersöktes med hjälp av en komparativ metod med rättshistoriskt inslag. I samtliga debatter kunde straffrättsteoretikern Beccarias tankegångar urskiljas hos motståndarna till dödsstraffet. Dödsstraffet var inte det mest avskräckande straffet. Samhällena hade utvecklats till den grad att det fanns andra effektiva medel för att hindra potentiella brottslingar från att begå brott. Statistik från länder i vilka dödsstraffet blev avskaffat har visat att det saknas ett samband mellan avskaffande och ökad brottslighet. Det var mer av en straffpåföljd i teorin än i praktiken – genom ett avskaffande kunde risken att felaktigt döma oskyldiga elimineras. Dödsstraffet var avskaffat ur den allmänna strafflagen i samtliga tre länder omkring 1930-talet. På 1970-talet avskaffades dödsstraffet även ur den militära strafflagen, främst med anledning till ländernas internationella åtaganden och allmänna rättsprinciper i den nationella rätten. Argumentationen angående dödsstraffets avskaffande har i samtliga folkförsamlingar varit förvånansvärt lik. Enstaka skillnader har emellertid kunnat urskiljas. I takt med Sverige, Norge och Danmarks utveckling mot modernitet och civilisation, ansågs det inte annat än legitimt att avskaffa det föråldrade och inhumana straffet. Ett sådant straff ansågs inte höra hemma i en förnuftig och sedlig statsordning, i vilken livets okränkbarhet utgör en viktig beståndsdel. (Less)
Abstract
People die on a daily basis due to sickness, old age or accidents, but how many die because of a death sentence? A few centuries ago, this was a common phenomenon, however in most modern and civilized societies today, it is something unimaginable. The government has a duty to protect its citizens no matter how they act. The actions of individual criminals should be seen in the light of current circumstances. The main purpose of this essay is to examine the reasons why Sweden, Norway and Denmark abolished the death penalty, and if there are any similarities or differences regarding the arguments of each country. This topic has been examined using a comparative method with elements of legal history. In all debates, the ideas of the criminal... (More)
People die on a daily basis due to sickness, old age or accidents, but how many die because of a death sentence? A few centuries ago, this was a common phenomenon, however in most modern and civilized societies today, it is something unimaginable. The government has a duty to protect its citizens no matter how they act. The actions of individual criminals should be seen in the light of current circumstances. The main purpose of this essay is to examine the reasons why Sweden, Norway and Denmark abolished the death penalty, and if there are any similarities or differences regarding the arguments of each country. This topic has been examined using a comparative method with elements of legal history. In all debates, the ideas of the criminal law theorist Beccaria could be distinguished in the arguments of those who were against the death penalty. The death penalty was not the most deterrent punishment. Society had progressed to the extent that other more effective methods to prevent potential criminals to commit crimes could be found. Statistics from other countries who had abolished the death penalty had shown that there was no connection between abolishment and increased delinquency. It was more of a punishment in theory rather in practice – by abolishing the penalty, the risk to wrongly condemn innocent individuals could be eliminated. The death penalty was removed out of the civil penal code in all three countries around the 1930s. In the 1970s, the death penalty was also revoked out of the military penal code, mostly due to the countries’ international commitments and general legal principles. The arguments regarding the abolishment of the death penalty are surprisingly similar in all parliaments, though a few differences could be distinguished. As Sweden, Norway and Denmark were progressing towards modernity and civilization, they realized that it was nothing but justified to abolish the medieval and inhumane punishment. Such punishment was considered to not belong in a judiciously and ethical social order, in which the life’s sanctity was an important element. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Chahrour, Fatma LU
supervisor
organization
course
LAGF03 20202
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Legal history, Comparative law, Death penalty, Life’s sanctity, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Rättshistoria, Komparativ rätt, Dödsstraff, Livets okränkbarhet, Sverige, Norge, Danmark
language
Swedish
id
9034514
date added to LUP
2021-02-09 11:54:59
date last changed
2021-02-09 11:54:59
@misc{9034514,
  abstract     = {{People die on a daily basis due to sickness, old age or accidents, but how many die because of a death sentence? A few centuries ago, this was a common phenomenon, however in most modern and civilized societies today, it is something unimaginable. The government has a duty to protect its citizens no matter how they act. The actions of individual criminals should be seen in the light of current circumstances. The main purpose of this essay is to examine the reasons why Sweden, Norway and Denmark abolished the death penalty, and if there are any similarities or differences regarding the arguments of each country. This topic has been examined using a comparative method with elements of legal history. In all debates, the ideas of the criminal law theorist Beccaria could be distinguished in the arguments of those who were against the death penalty. The death penalty was not the most deterrent punishment. Society had progressed to the extent that other more effective methods to prevent potential criminals to commit crimes could be found. Statistics from other countries who had abolished the death penalty had shown that there was no connection between abolishment and increased delinquency. It was more of a punishment in theory rather in practice – by abolishing the penalty, the risk to wrongly condemn innocent individuals could be eliminated. The death penalty was removed out of the civil penal code in all three countries around the 1930s. In the 1970s, the death penalty was also revoked out of the military penal code, mostly due to the countries’ international commitments and general legal principles. The arguments regarding the abolishment of the death penalty are surprisingly similar in all parliaments, though a few differences could be distinguished. As Sweden, Norway and Denmark were progressing towards modernity and civilization, they realized that it was nothing but justified to abolish the medieval and inhumane punishment. Such punishment was considered to not belong in a judiciously and ethical social order, in which the life’s sanctity was an important element.}},
  author       = {{Chahrour, Fatma}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Livets okränkbarhet i förhållande till dödsstraffet – En rättshistorisk utredning av dödsstraffets avskaffande i de skandinaviska länderna}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}