President Hakainde Hichilema announced the development on Tuesday during a speech on the eve of Africa Day, according to media reports.
“We warmly welcome the commitment of the President of Zambia on May 24 to abolishing the death penalty in the country and to work with Congress to end it. cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment” speak OHCHR Spokesperson Seif Magango.
He added: “The use of the death penalty is incompatible with basic human rights and dignity.
A big step forward
While Zambia has maintained a moratorium on the execution of the death penalty since 1997, when executions last took place, Mr. Magango said formal abolition in the law would be a big step forward in human rights domestic.
Zambia will also join the growing worldwide consensus on universal abolition of the death penalty. About 170 countries have abolished it, or put it on hold, both in law or in practice.
OHCHR urges the Government and Congress to strengthen the President’s commitment with tangible legal reforms, including amendments to the Penal Code Act and the Criminal Procedure Code Act.
Support and cooperation
In addition, the authorities should restart the Constitutional Reform process to expand the Bill of Rights, including explicitly banning the death penalty.
The Government is also urged to demonstrate further international leadership in this regard by ratifying the Second Optional Protocol to International Covenant on Civil and Political Rightson the abolition of the death penalty.
Mr. Magagno said OHCHR “stands ready to provide technical assistance and cooperation to the Zambian authorities. to make this promise come true. ”
