Zimbabwe scraps death penalty, existing sentences to be commuted as jail term
India TodayZimbabwe officially abolished the death penalty on Tuesday after President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed into law an act that will commute to jail time the sentences of about 60 prisoners on death row. The Death Penalty Abolition Act, published in Government Gazette on Tuesday, says courts can no longer deliver a sentence of capital punishment for any offence and any existing death sentences would need to be commuted to jail time. "We urge the authorities to now swiftly move to a full abolition of the death penalty by removing the clause included in the amendments to the Bill allowing for the use of the death penalty for the duration of any state of public emergency," the international rights group said. Twenty-four countries across sub-Saharan Africa have abolished the death penalty for all crimes while two additional countries have abolished it for ordinary crimes only, Amnesty said.
History of this topic
Zimbabwe abolishes death penalty almost 20 years after its last hanging
India TV NewsZimbabwe’s president once faced the death penalty and is now set to abolish it
Associated PressZimbabwe frees prisoners, including those sentenced to death, in an independence day amnesty
Associated PressCongo reinstates the death penalty after more than 20 years as it struggles to deal with militants
Associated Press
Zimbabwe's government backs a move to abolish the death penalty having last hanged someone in 2005
The IndependentZimbabwe’s government backs a move to abolish the death penalty having last hanged someone in 2005
Associated Press
Map: Which countries still have the death penalty?
Al Jazeera
Infographic: Which countries still have the death penalty?
Al Jazeera
Zimbabwe frees some inmates to reduce COVID-19 risk in jails
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