Monrovia – In observance of the 14th World Day against the Death Penalty, the Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture (ACTAT) has reaffirmed their commitment and their support for the UN body’s call for Liberia to repeal the 2008 death laws and commute those on the death row to life in imprisonment.
The theme of the day was “The relevance of abolishing the death penalty in Liberia.”
Speaking at the ceremony in the borough of New Kru Town on Monday, the head of ACTAT Amara Nfathorma Soumawolo said:
“We would like to remind the government of Liberia that the respect for international human rights instruments and the fulfillment of state’s obligations is one way by which a country’s respect for human rights is measured”.
He continued: “Liberia’s constant refusal, neglect or failure to respect and honor its obligations to the second optional protocol is an indication that there is still a danger to the full respect for human rights and dignity.”
According to Soumawolo, death penalty has not been able to deter crimes, as criminals continue to abound in countries that uphold the death sentence. He further noted that there were evidences that death penalty sometimes lead to the loss of innocent lives.
Soumawolo also cited a case between Hans Williams and Mardea Paykue versus the Republic of Liberia in which the couple was condemned to death by hanging and later the couple was ordered released after a their conviction was overturned in an appeal at the Supreme Court.
“If these people were executed immediately, their lives could not be reversed just as the judgment was revised”, Soumawolo asserted.
He added: “while we acknowledge the fact that there has been no execution since the reintroduction of the death penalty, government need to go one step beyond the mere de facto moratorium to actually repeal the 2008 laws and commute those affected to life imprisonment.”
He however called on the government through the National Legislature to ratify the second optional protocol of the covenant on civil and political rights and begin to act towards repealing the 2008 laws.
Although many countries in the West African region abolishing death penalty Liberia retains the death penalty, having re-introduced it in 2008.
Amnesty International has released its Death Sentences and Executions Report for 2015.
The review of the situation in West Africa reveals notable differences in how countries in the region view the use of the death penalty both in law and in practice.
Five countries in the region have abolished the death penalty in the law for all crimes (Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal and Togo); eight countries are abolitionist in practice, meaning they have not carried out any executions for at least 10 years (Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Sierra Leone); and four are receptionist countries where executions still occur (Chad, Gambia, Guinea and Nigeria).
The report states that the situation in the region, where 232 death sentences were handed down in eight countries in 2015, has generally improved due in particular to a significant decrease in the number of death sentences recorded in Nigeria (171 death sentences in 2015 compared to 659 in 2014).
Amnesty International, however, denounces the resumption of executions in Chad in 2015, which previously had not put anyone to death for 12 years.