Wed Jan 01 02:56:42 UTC 2025: ## Zimbabwe Abolishes Death Penalty
**Harare, Zimbabwe –** Zimbabwe has officially abolished the death penalty, ending a practice that had not been used for nearly two decades. The move, signed into law by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, spares approximately 60 prisoners currently on death row. The last execution in the country took place in 2005, partly due to a lack of executioners.
President Mnangagwa, who himself faced a death sentence during the country’s war of independence, has been a vocal opponent of capital punishment. He cited his personal experience as a key motivator for the abolition. He has previously used presidential amnesties to commute death sentences to life imprisonment.
Amnesty International lauded the decision as a significant step forward for human rights in the region, noting that while other African nations are making progress toward abolition, Zimbabwe is among the few to have successfully enacted the change into law. Globally, Amnesty International reports a rise in executions in 2023, with Iran and Saudi Arabia accounting for the vast majority. However, the true figures remain unclear due to a lack of transparency in several countries, including China, North Korea, and Vietnam.
First Piper 