Hon. Commissioner Idrissa Sow Addresses the UN Human Rights Council on Death Penalties in Africa
Admin GHRTV
03-04-2023
Jacob Odeh
International Justice and Human Rights Researcher
Global Human Rights Defence
While speaking at the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council, Hon. Commissioner Idrissa Sow spoke on the subject of the death penalty, calling for more efforts toward its abolition in Africa. He focused on the fact that 26 African countries have already abolished the death penalty, and another 18 have temporarily stopped it. Additionally, Sow further noted that the death penalty is still being carried out on the continent, and there are risks of error due to weaknesses in some countries' judicial systems. The African Commission is urging states to limit the application of the death penalty to the most serious crimes and consider placing a ban on executions. He further reiterated the need to improve efforts towards universal abolition and develop partnerships, including with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Sources and further reading:
Statement by Hon. Commissioner Idrissa Sow the 52d Session of the UN Human Rights Council, 04 March 2023, https://achpr.au.int/en/news/press-releases/2023-03-04/hon-commissioner-idrissa-sow-chairperson-working-group-death-penalty
