Zimbabwe abolishes death penalty News
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Zimbabwe abolishes death penalty

Zimbabwe abolished the death penalty on Tuesday when President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed the Death Penalty Abolition Act into law.

The new law eliminates the death penalty as a sentencing option within the country, aligning Zimbabwe with a global movement that rejects capital punishment. The legislation will further result in the commutation of sentences for approximately 60 individuals currently on death row to life imprisonment.

However, the legislation includes a controversial provision that allows for the potential reinstatement of the death penalty during states of emergency. Human rights advocates have urged the government to remove this clause to ensure the abolition is absolute and not subject to future political fluctuations.

The decision comes after a parliamentary vote in December that reflected a growing consensus against the death penalty. The last execution in Zimbabwe occurred nearly two decades ago, but the country had not officially renounced executions by passing a declaration of moratorium on the implementation of capital punishment.

This move marks a pivotal shift for Zimbabwe and reflects a trend toward abolition across the globe, with Zimbabwe becoming the 127th country to abolish the death penalty. Amnesty International has welcomed this decision, describing it as a “beacon of hope” for the abolitionist movement. Several rights organizations have emphasized that this step is crucial for aligning Zimbabwe’s legal framework with international human rights standards.

Zimbabwe’s decision to abolish the death penalty places it among a growing number of countries on the African continent that have moved towards abolition. Currently, 24 African nations have fully abolished capital punishment.

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