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Zimbabwe Abolishes Death Penalty After 20-Year Hiatus, Becomes 127th Country to Do So

Jan 1, 2025, 04:51 AM

Zimbabwe has officially abolished the death penalty, a decision that marks a significant shift in the country's legal framework. President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who himself faced a death sentence in the 1960s, signed into law the Death Penalty Abolition Act, which will commute the sentences of approximately 60 prisoners currently on death row to jail time. The move comes nearly two decades after Zimbabwe's last execution in 2005, despite courts continuing to issue death sentences for crimes such as murder, treason, and terrorism. The new law prohibits courts from issuing death sentences for any offense, though it includes a provision allowing for the reinstatement of the death penalty during a state of emergency. With this action, Zimbabwe becomes the 127th country worldwide to abolish the death penalty. Amnesty International hailed the abolition as a historic moment for human rights, urging Zimbabwe to fully abolish the death penalty by removing the emergency clause. Zimbabwe joins 24 other African countries that have completely abolished the death penalty.