Death Sentence, human Rights Abuse

In the constitution making process there are some issues that are pending. Death sentence is one of the issues that need to be addressed.

 Zimbabwe is one of the signatories of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and even the African Charter of Human Rights. However, the disturbing issue is that the country is still subscribing to death penalty which then parallels with these two “treaties”.

Section 12 of the Zimbabwean constitution supports capital punishment; “it shall be lawful for a person to be killed following a death sentence imposed by the court. 

·         Universal declaration of Human Rights states that no one shall be subjected to cruel or degrading punishment.

·         Article 6 of international Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) states that no one shall be arbitrary deprived of his life.

·         Article 7 of the (ICCPR) states that no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Zimbabwe globally is one of the few countries that is still observing death penalty.  In the constitution making process drafters have suppress this law that violates fundamental human rights of life.

To prove the cruelty of the law, this post in Zimbabwe (for hanging) was unoccupied for more than five years.

Every human being has the right to life despite the degree and nature of the crime. Death sentence should be substituted with life sentence.

There are various types of execution methods that are used in different countries globally;
v  Stoning
v  Hanging 
v  Gas chambers
v  Electrocution
v  Lethal injection

 The Sunday Mail (15-21/01/2012) reveals that according to Amnesty International, more than 139 countries have abolished death penalty but Zimbabwe is still recognising it (death penalty) as a form of governance.