Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has signed into law the abolition of the death penalty, a significant step towards justice and human rights in the southern African nation.
Landmark Decision
The Death Penalty Abolition Act, passed by parliament earlier in December 2024, was gazetted on Tuesday, making the abolition immediate. Amnesty International hailed the decision as a “beacon of hope for the abolitionist movement in the region.” However, the rights group expressed concerns over a clause allowing the death penalty during a state of emergency.
Context and Impact
Zimbabwe has not carried out an execution since 2005, but courts continued to impose death sentences for severe crimes like murder. As of the end of 2023, around 60 individuals were on death row. These individuals will now face resentencing, with courts directed to consider the nature of their crimes, the duration of their time on death row, and their personal circumstances.
Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi described the move as “more than a legal reform,” emphasizing its importance as a commitment to justice and humanity.
Historical Significance
The death penalty was introduced during British colonial rule and has been a contentious issue in post-independence Zimbabwe. Mnangagwa, a long-standing critic of capital punishment, cited his personal experience of being sentenced to death in the 1960s during the guerrilla war for independence. His sentence was later commuted to a 10-year prison term.
Global Perspective
Zimbabwe joins a growing list of nations that have abolished the death penalty. According to Amnesty International, 113 countries globally, including 24 in Africa, have fully eliminated capital punishment.
However, Amnesty urged Zimbabwe to remove the clause permitting the reinstatement of the death penalty during public emergencies, calling it incompatible with the spirit of abolition.
A Milestone for Zimbabwe and Beyond
This abolition marks a transformative moment for Zimbabwe and contributes to international efforts to end what Amnesty describes as “the ultimate cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment.”
As the nation moves forward, global attention remains on ensuring the clause allowing reinstatement during emergencies does not undermine this historic achievement.
