ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN ZAMBIA
In its quest to advocate for the right to life, PFF received a miso grant from world Coalition Against the Death Penalty, the AFD, Belgium and the European Union, to implement Anti-death penalty activities in Zambia, from September 2023 to September 2024. The overall objective of the project is to raise awareness amongst various Zambian stakeholders on complete abolition of the death penalty in Zambia.
Photos below show the flagging off the march past and participants marching in Kabwe CBD to Kabwe Civic Centre.
In actualizing and consolidating efforts in the complete abolishment of the death penalty, PFF demanded for the following to be implemented by Zambian authorities through a speech read by PFF Board Chairperson Ms. Adessy Luputa Mukangwa:
- Commute to life sentences of the 12 persons sentenced to death currently at Mukobeko maximum security prison in Kabwe and any of those who were charged, tried or sentenced to death prior to the enactment of the penal code (amendment) bill no. 23 of 2022, and the criminal procedure code no. 22 of 2022 that abolished capital punishment still enroute to Mukobeko Maximum Security Prison.
- Put necessary steps towards the constitutional amendment through a referendum to article 12, part iii
- Amend the defense act to bring it in line with the penal code (amendment) bill no. 23 of 2022, to remove the death penalty from military law, which still authorizes military court to pronounce death sentence for offences which any person subject to military law may be convicted and sentenced to death
- Take specific steps to ratify the second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political rights (ICCPR) aiming at the abolition of death penalty
The National Human Rights Commission in its remarks said the Commission’s call is to respect all human rights regardless of individual status in the society.
The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) in its remarks read by a representative said that the church is against any form of termination of life and hence has been advocating for the abolishment of death penalty in Zambia in collaboration with PFF since 2012.
Central Province Permanent Secretary Milner Mwanakampwe in a speech read for him by the Assistant Secretary said Government understood the sanctity of hence abolishing the death penalty the death penalty. He further said that the abolishment of the death penalty by Government is a significant step towards the domestication of the International Bill of Rights which will greatly expand the scope of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.
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In the photos below are participants who attended the event at Kabwe Civic Centre
The demands made by PFF on the complete abolishment of death penalty in Zambia were capture by different media houses and published in the Times of Zambia News Paper dated 12th October, 2023:
The commemoration of WDAP earned PFF some recognition as a strong Human Rights advocate in Zambia and amplified its voice on the need for Zambian Authorities to complete the abolishment of death penalty in Zambia through amendment of the bill of rights to guarantee inclusion of, economic, social and cultural rights. The demands made by PFF during the WDAP contributed to the president pardoning and commuting the sentences of 2 inmates on death row to life imprisonment as well as compelling Ministry of justice begin to push the process of amending defense Act and Second optional protocol before the drafters and ICDP.
ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN ZAMBIA PARTY 1 2 MAY 2012.MP3
Capital punishment, also called death penalty, execution of an offender sentenced to death after conviction by a court of law of a criminal offense.
Advocacy for the abolition of death penalty from the Zambian Constitution (2012)
PFF received a joint policy action support for eight months in February, 2012 that expired in October, 2012 from Zambian governance foundation. In this we advocated for the abolition of death penalty from the Zambian Constitution. We conducted engagement meeting with influential persons, clergy, parliamentarians and the general Zambian people to consider doing away with death penalty. This was a partnership of six consortium organizations namely: Prison fellowship Zambia, Caritas Zambia, Prisons Care, and Counseling association, Human Rights Commission, Bwacha Parish Church and Prisoners` Future Foundation who were the lead partner managing the funds.
Above; pic 1-The consortium engaging media houses in Zambia, Mr. Mayamba in far left of the three, Human Rights Commissioner and spokesperson, pic 2-PFF Executive Director Mr Geoffrey Mayamba typing the meeting details at the EU office in Zambia and pic 3-consortium meet the permanent secretary ministry of home Affairs Mr. Max Nkole.
