Legal think tank Vertias is encouraging parliament to approve measures that abolish the death sentence, in accordance with the Bill of Rights,which guarantees the right to life.
Although the capital punishment remains law in Zimbabwe, the death penalty has not been used since 2005.
The death penalty is in violation of the 2013 constitution and other international conventions which provides for the right to life.
Human rights organisations have been advocating for the abolishment of the death penalty for some time now but progress is yet to be realised.
Currently 62 people are on the death row in Zimbabwe.
Earlier in the year, during an engagement with the media, Veritas presented a Model Bill which seeks for the retrial of the inmates on death roll and instead give them a life sentence as opposed to the death penalty.
In a latest move, the legal think tank has petitioned parliament to abolish the capital punishment.
This move comes after Vertias has engaged the cabinet to consider the abolishment of the inhuman sentence.
Veritas Approaches Parliament
In an interview with Open Parly ZW, Veritas lawyer Kuzivakwashe Noodza said the organisation has used other advocacy tools but has now resolved to petition parliament.
“We have been doing some work before filing the petition to parliament.
“ Veritas sent a memo to the cabinet legal committee some time ago explaining the reason why we were advocating for the abolition of the death penalty.
“We realised that our initiatives were not hitting hard as we really wanted them, hence petitioning parliament to abolish or at least discuss abolishment of the death penalty,” said Noodza.
Furthermore, Noodza added parliament would have to amend a number of acts in order to achieve the abolishment.
“They (parliament) will be repealing various sections of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, they will also repeal a section of the Criminal Law and Evidence Act together with various statues that also provide for the death penalty
According to the National Assembly Hansard of 1 November 2022, the speaker of parliament Jacob Mudenda acknowledged receipt of the petition.
“Firinne Trust (Veritas) beseeched Parliament to enact a law to outlaw the death penalty.
“The petitioners implored the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to present before Parliament, a Bill to remove the death penalty from Zimbabwe’s Statute Book.
“The petition was referred to the Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.
According to an international NGO that focuses on human rights as at October 2022, 25 African countries has abolished the death penalty out of the 55 countries on the continent.
