The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) has welcomed the abolition of the death penalty for ordinary crimes in Zimbabwe through the Death Penalty Abolition Act (2024), which President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed into law on 31 December 2024.

IBAHRI Co-Chair, Mark Stephens CBE commented: ‘The IBAHRI congratulates Zimbabwe for this historic step of abolishing the death penalty for ordinary crimes. This is a critically important moment that follows almost a decade of tireless work by individuals and entities to make abolition a reality in Zimbabwe, including countrywide grassroots consultations, research on public attitudes and views of opinion leaders, and campaigning. We applaud MP Edwin Mushoriwa, who brought the Private Member’s Bill to Parliament, and all those who worked on and supported the legislation.’

Zimbabwe has had a de facto moratorium on executions since 2005, but the courts could continue to impose the death penalty. The Death Penalty Abolition Bill was introduced to the National Assembly in November 2023 and gazetted on 14 December 2023. On 6 February 2024, the Cabinet announced its approval of the Bill and on 11 December 2024 the Senate approved the legislation. Currently, there are approximately 60 people on death row in Zimbabwe. It is understood that they will be resentenced or have their death sentences commuted.

IBAHRI Co-Chair, Hina Jilani stated: ‘Abolition of the death penalty is essential to preserve and respect the sanctity of human life, uphold human dignity and avoid irreversible human rights violations. We commend the Zimbabwean Parliament for recognising the death penalty as an affront to fundamental rights and encourage the Government to consolidate its commitment to abolition by ratifying the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) without reservation.’

ENDS

Contact: IBAHRI@int-bar.org

Notes to the reader

1. Click here to download a PDF of: IBAHRI Council Resolution on the Abolition of the Death Penalty.
2. Related material:
   • Ghana: IBAHRI commends abolition of the death penalty
   • Zambia: IBAHRI welcomes death penalty abolition

3. The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), established in 1995 under Founding Honorary President Nelson Mandela, is an autonomous and financially independent entity, working to promote, protect and enforce human rights under a just rule of law, and to preserve the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession worldwide.

4. Find the IBAHRI on social media here:
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   • facebook.com/IBAhumanrights
   • linkedin.com/in/iba-human-rights-institute

5. The International Bar Association (IBA), the global voice of the legal profession, is the foremost organisation for international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies. Established in 1947, shortly after the creation of the United Nations, it was born out of the conviction that an organisation made up of the world's's bar associations could contribute to global stability and peace through the administration of justice.

6. Find the IBA on social media here:
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   • facebook.com/internationalbarassociation
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Website page link for this news release:

Short link: www.tinyurl.com/4ws3pbkf
Full link: www.ibanet.org/Zimbabwe-IBAHRI-welcomes-abolition-of-death-penalty