UN rights chief welcomes abolition of death penalty in Zimbabwe
'All states that still maintain the death penalty should follow Zimbabwe’s example and abolish it, or pending its abolition, impose a moratorium on its use,' says Volker Turk
GENEVA
The UN human rights chief on Thursday hailed Zimbabwe's decision to abolish death penalty, urging all states that still apply punishment by execution to follow as an example.
"I welcome the signing by the President of Zimbabwe of a law officially abolishing the death penalty in the country. The death penalty is profoundly difficult to reconcile with human dignity and the fundamental right to life," Volker Turk said in a statement.
"All States that still maintain the death penalty should follow Zimbabwe’s example and abolish it, or pending its abolition, impose a moratorium on its use," Turk added.
He called on the government Zimbabwe to take a further step on this by removing the provision allowing for reinstatement of the penalty during states of public emergency.
Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed into law a bill on Tuesday, which will also commute sentences of around 60 prisoners on death row to jail time.
