The Civil Society Human Rights Advocacy Platform of Liberia (CSO-HRAP), with support from the Embassy of France and Alliance Française in Monrovia, and in partnership with the British Embassy and UN OHCHR, held a panel event discussing the introduction of the draft abolition law. The event brought together government officials, civil society, youth, the UN and the diplomatic and international community.
The event was held Wednesday, December 11, 2024 at the Alliance Française, 100 UN Drive, Monrovia, under the topic, “Introducing the Draft Abolition Law and Debating Next Steps on the Death Penalty in Liberia”.
Speaking at the event, the French Ambassador, H.E Isabelle Le-Guellec, said France has welcomed Liberia’s ratification in 2005 of the second optional protocol to the international covenant on civil and political rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty and committing to this aim, and encourages the country to abolish it in domestic law. About 15 people are said to be currently on death row, but Liberia has put in place a moratorium on the actual executions.
According to her, Liberia voted to adopt the last biennial resolution on the moratorium on the use of the death penalty at the 77th UNGA. The goal is to complete abolition of the death penalty in law.
“It is even more desirable since Liberia has engaged a process of transitional justice, which international partners support but, for obvious reasons could not go on supporting if the death penalty is still a possible sentence for convicted war criminals.
At the same time, The British Ambassador, H.E Neil Bradley, said the United Kingdom is supporting the work of the Civil Society Human Rights Advocacy Platform of Liberia through its abolition of the death penalty project.
“The UK is committed to the universal abolition of the death penalty. We have a longstanding policy to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances, as a matter of principle,” the British ambassador said.
“We welcome the fact that global trend towards the abolition of capital punishment continues in all parts of the world. Today around three-quarters of states are abolitionist, either in law or in practice.
“However, we should not be complacent in our collective efforts to abolish the death penalty. Last year’s recorded global executions soared to their highest number in almost a decade. We believe that it is used to undermine human dignity.
“It neither makes communities safer nor serves as a deterrent to crime, and it exacerbates cycles of violence and is often used as a tool of repression.
“In 2005, Liberia acceded to the second optional protocol to the international covenant on civil and political rights (ICCPR), aiming at the abolition of the death penalty. Under the protocol, Liberia was required to impose a moratorium on executions and amend its laws to eliminate the death penalty. Consequently, there have been no executions in Liberia of prisoners on death row for over 20 years.
Meanwhile, Kutaka D. Togbah, who represented the Ministry of Justice, disclosed that the government has not sat supinely, but has been engaged in similar discussions surrounding the full abolition of the death penalty as one of the twenty-eight original signatories to the United Nations Charter, and specifically a signatory to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which calls for the abolition of the death penalty.
“While Liberia has maintained a de facto moratorium on the use of the death penalty as a punishment, steps have been taken over the last couple of years to move to full abolition by law.”
He also said the former Minister of Justice, Cllr. Frank Musah Dean, initiated the process of abolishing the death penalty “de jure ” in 2022, when the ministry drafted an act to amend title 26 of the Liberian Codes of Law Revised, Penal Law Chapter 11,14, 15 and 50 relating to sentencing death penalty.
This bill received support from the Senate and was passed at that level. It was sent to the house of Representatives, where it is reported to have been passed by both Houses; however, it remained in committee room until the retirement of the 54th National Legislature; this necessitates the resubmission of the instrument to the 55th Legislature for passage.
