[Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Dec. 13



MALAWI:

Malawi poll: Not many favour abolition of death penalty


Malawians have shown that not many favour the idea to abolish death
penalty, Nyasa Times readers poll has indicated.

Nyasa Times asked its readers: Should Malawi abolish death penalty?

Of the 781 readers who voted in Nyasa Times poll, the simple majority of
50 % opted "yes" option.

About 48 % are against the abolition of capital punishment. Only 3 % were
indecisive.

Murder, treason and armed robbery are punishable by death in Malawi.

Human rights activists and the faith community advocates for capital
punishment to be abolished.

Former president Dr Bakili Muluzi, who ruled Malawi from 1994 after 3
decades of late Kamuzu Banda's full-fledged tyranny under which rights
were seriously violated, never accented to a death warrant during his
administration.

The High Court of Malawi on April 27 declared the death sentences on all
prisoners on death row unconstitutional, inhumane and degradation to human
dignity.

"We declare that Section 210 of the Penal Code is invalid to the extent of
mandatory death penalty following a murder offence," Justice Elton Singini
read out the unanimous judgement in a case a murder convict Francis
Kanfantayeni and five others were challenging the constitutionality of the
death penalty.

Britain, which is Malawi's largest bilateral donor recently, urged Malawi
to abolish death sentence.

"Britain hopes that Malawi will one day join those countries that take the
decision to abolish death penalty, but this is a matter for Malawi to
decide. The role of the state is to preserve life, not to take it away,"
British High Commissioner Richard Wildash said.

The British envoy said the abolition of the death penalty contributes to
the enhancement of human dignity and the progressive development of human
rights.

Wildash said many countries are abolishing the death penalty from their
statutes on the basis that it is a violation of the right to life and that
it is the " ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment."

In the Southern Africa region, Angola, Mozambique, Mauritius and South
Africa have recently abolished the death penalty.

(source: Nyasa Times)