The United Nations has commended Zimbabwe’s decision to abolish the death penalty, urging other nations to follow suit.
On Tuesday, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed a landmark law that will commute the death sentences of approximately 60 prisoners to jail time.
Since 2005, Zimbabwe has observed a moratorium on executions, though courts continued to hand down capital punishment for crimes such as murder, treason, and terrorism.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk celebrated the move, calling the abolition of the death penalty a major step forward for human dignity. “The death penalty is profoundly difficult to reconcile with human dignity and the fundamental right to life,” Turk stated.
He urged countries that still uphold capital punishment to follow Zimbabwe’s example. Turk further called for a global moratorium on the death penalty, or its outright abolition.
Zimbabwe’s new law ensures that courts can no longer impose the death sentence, and all existing death sentences will be converted to prison terms.
However, the law includes a provision allowing the reinstatement of the death penalty in times of national emergency. Turk has urged Zimbabwe to reconsider this clause and remove the possibility of reinstating capital punishment during such times.
President Mnangagwa, a long-time opponent of the death penalty, was himself sentenced to death in the 1960s for a guerrilla act during Zimbabwe’s war for independence. His sentence was later commuted.
This historic move marks a significant moment for both Zimbabwe and the global fight against capital punishment.
