The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has continued advocating for the abolition of the death penalty in Zambia.
HRC Principle Planning and Collaboration Officer, Lisbon Chaamwe says the death penalty is a violation of the right to life.
Mr Chaamwe said the Commission is advocating for Zambia to sign the protocol on the abolition of the death penalty because it is unhuman and violation of the fundamental right to life.
ZANIS reports that Mr Chaamwe was speaking during a consultative meeting with state and non-state actors on the abolition of death penalty in Kasama, Northern Province.
He said capital offences can have other forms of punishment meted on the offenders such as life imprisonment.
Mr Chaamwe said no President has signed the execution warrant since 1997 hence the death penalty should just be abolished.
He stated that it is purely inhuman and degrading for anyone to be sentenced to death penalty.
Mr. Chaamwe disclosed that 107 countries globally have completely abolished the death penalty.
He said the state has an obligation to respect the right to life as enshrined in the constitution of Zambia by refraining from violating human rights.
And Northern Province Human Rights Investigations Officer, Dennis Chulu said research shows that death penalty has not led to reduction of criminal offences.
Mr Chulu said death penalty only amounts to torture, cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment of a human being.
He added that the death penalty contradicts the convention against torture and other cruel inhumane treatment established by international treaties which Zambia is party to.
And yet it’s these same so called HR champions who have armed security men standing as sentinels by their gates. Ready to kill.
Wait until one close to you is gang raped and murdered in cold blood.
Who has sponsored them?
prisons here are disgusting unless one has money
SO CALL IT EUTHANSIA = TO END ONES LIFE OF SUFFERING
LETS NOT BE STUPID HERE
During pf regime there was no need to abolish it because we had a good hearted president who was a Christian and who we all know would never use the death penalty. We understand the increased calls for the abolition of the death penalty at this stage because the people realise that we have an evil man in power who could easily use it to avenge pf members.
Cold-blooded killers like Matthew Mohan, Keith Mukata and Beatrice Hangwende violated the right to life of other people and they got away with it just like that! Yes they served their jail sentences but are back in society after depriving other families of their breadwinners. It is very unfair. The one who lives by the sword should die by the sword. The death penalty should not be abolished. People should know that the one who takes the life of another should also have their lives taken. Jail sentences are not going to deter would-be criminals
One can advocate abolishing death penalty if his / her family has never experienced a situation where a loved one loses life at the hands of the murders or rather being killed in cold blood that is when one realizes why death penalty should be maintained. As it is now the topic is still academic. keeping prisoners on death row on life imprisonment is punishing society twice because there is a financial burden to look after such individuals fed, etc.