Zimbabwe ends death penalty after nearly 20 years
- Zimbabwe has abolished capital punishment with the approval of a new law by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
- Approximately 60 inmates will have their death sentences reconsidered by the courts under the new law.
- This decision is hailed as a major milestone for human rights, but concerns remain about potential reinstatement during emergencies.
In December 2023, Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa approved a significant legislative measure to abolish the death penalty, marking an important shift in the country's judicial stance on capital punishment. The law's approval came after the Zimbabwean Parliament voted in favor of the bill earlier in the month, a move that was widely anticipated given the historical context surrounding the death penalty in the nation. This decision has been celebrated by various human rights organizations, particularly Amnesty International, as a monumental achievement in the ongoing global struggle for the abolition of such penalties. With this law, the last execution in Zimbabwe reportedly occurred in 2005, and approximately 60 individuals were on death row as of the end of 2023. These inmates are now subject to re-sentencing, which requires court judges to take into account several factors including the nature of their crimes and the time they have spent awaiting execution. The Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi articulated that the abolition is not merely a legal reform, but also reflects a deeper commitment to justice and humanity within Zimbabwe's governance. President Mnangagwa's opposition to capital punishment is deeply personal, stemming from his own experiences during the 1960s, when he was sentenced to death for political actions related to the liberation struggle. He later received a commuted sentence. Despite this progress, there are concerns raised by human rights advocates regarding the potential reinstatement of the death penalty during a state of emergency—an aspect of the newly enacted law that Amnesty has urged the government to reconsider. The latest development in Zimbabwe's legal landscape contributes to the broader African context, where some nations are increasingly seeking to eliminate capital punishment altogether. Formerly under British colonial rule, capital punishment has long stood as a contentious issue in Zimbabwe and across the continent. Today, with 113 countries worldwide having abolished the death penalty and notable progress occurring in several African states, Zimbabwe's legislation is viewed as a crucial stride for human rights and justice reforms in the region.