NPWJ extends its heartfelt congratulations to the people of Sierra Leone, the Sierra Leone Parliament and President Julius Maada Bio for the abolishment of the death penalty in Sierra Leone last Friday.
In signing the Bill into law, Sierra Leone becomes the 23rd country in Africa to abolish the death penalty, after having had a moratorium on its use for some years, with the last execution taking place in 1998.
The unanimous vote in the Parliament last July is a testament to the tireless work of civil society campaigners in Sierra Leone over many years. The abolition of the death penalty had been recommended in 2004 by the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission, established to address the root causes and consequences of the decade-long conflict in the country.
NPWJ hopes that those countries that have not yet abolished the death penalty will follow suit and ensure, in the words of President Bio, the removal of this dastardly and inhumane punishment from their Statute books.
For further information, please contact Alison Smith, Director of International Justice, on asmith@npwj.org or Nicola Giovannini, Press & Public Affairs Coordinator on ngiovannini@npwj.org.
