Joseph Isangura
Zimbabwe has officially abolished the death penalty, bringing a significant change to the country’s legal system.
The move, which is expected to spare around 60 people currently on death row, has been hailed as a major step forward for human rights.
Earlier this week, President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed a new law that removes the death penalty from the country’s judicial process. Under the new legislation, courts will no longer be allowed to impose capital punishment, and any existing death sentences will be commuted to life imprisonment.
Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed strong approval of the decision, calling it a victory for human dignity and the right to life. He also encouraged other countries that still use the death penalty to follow Zimbabwe’s lead and move towards abolition, or at the very least, suspend its use.
Human rights organization Amnesty International also praised the move, describing it as a hopeful sign for the region and a step towards the global abolition of the death penalty. Amnesty noted that this decision aligns Zimbabwe with a growing number of countries abandoning capital punishment, further reinforcing the global trend toward more humane justice systems.
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However, Amnesty raised a concern regarding a provision in the new law that allows for the potential reinstatement of the death penalty during a state of emergency. The organization urged Zimbabwe to remove this clause to ensure that the death penalty is completely and permanently abolished.
With this decision, Zimbabwe joins several African nations that have moved away from the death penalty, reflecting a wider shift toward human rights reforms across the continent. This change is expected to have a significant impact on Zimbabwe’s legal framework and its standing in the global human rights community.
