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LESSON PLAN


Lesson 8 - The Death Penalty as a Form of Torture

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Materials:

"Excerpts on Death Penalty"

The 5th Point in "A Briefing for the UN Committee Against Torture"

Activity:

  1. Hand out the "Excerpts on Death Penalty" to the participants:
  2. Ask participants to briefly write their impressions of the story above, first by listing adjectives that describe their emotions and then by writing a paragraph or two on how they would feel if they were in the situation described above.
  3. Ask participants: In the situation above, is the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment (Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) being violated?
  4. Try to find common ground in the discussion by asking:
    • Does everyone agree that these death row inmates are experiencing mental anguish?
    • Does this situation constitute torture?
  5. After writing the paragraph, ask the participants:
    • What is your own definition of torture?
    • Who believes that being on death row is a form of:
      Physical torture? Why/Why not?
      Mental Torture? Why/Why not?
      Ask participants why they feel that way and to elaborate on their views.
  6. Ask how the class can put the situation at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution within the context of the Convention on Torture and within the overall context of human rights.
  7. Ask participants: If human rights were declared to affirm the inherent value of each human being and their dignity, and torture essentially strips people of that same dignity and worth, then how can we place executions within that context? More specifically, does being on death row strip that people of their human dignity and worth, and therefore violate their human rights?

Portfolio Assignment:

  1. Ask participants to read "A Briefing for the UN Committee against Torture"
  2. Ask them to make a list of Amnesty's main points in the article and to offer their response or comments:
    • Why do you agree or disagree with Amnesty's claims?
    • Ask them to list which of the real life cases seems most like their own definition of torture and why. Also, ask participants to use the language of the Convention on Torture to support their point.
  3. Collect the assignments and review them. Offer constructive criticism on how participants could clarify points, and offer rebuttals. When you review a comment, ask:
    • What other issues does this touch upon?
    • Can this comment be related to human rights documents or concepts?
    • Are there any underlying issues?
    • Can we identify cause and effect?
  4. Participants then submit assignment to their portfolio. For extra credit, participants can write corrections or additions and resubmit it, and the teacher will again offer his or her own comments and perspectives. Try to encourage an ongoing correspondence on the issue(s) a student takes a particular interest in.