The death penalty will be replaced by a life sentence or a minimum sentence of 30 years. Since 1998, no executions have been carried out in Sierra Leone.
▲ Constitution of the Sierra Leone 1991 provided for the death penalty for aggravated robbery, murder, treason and mutiny
JUSTIN LANE/EPA
“Today we are making history once again,” said the head of state, at the signing ceremony in the country’s capital, Freetown, cited by AFP France-Presse (AFP). “After 20 years, we are fulfilling the promise we made as a nation: after 20 years, the death penalty has finally been completely abolished in the Republic of Sierra Leone
The promulgation takes place after the vote, in the National Assembly, on July 23, for the abolition of the death penalty and its replacement with a life sentence or a minimum sentence of 30 years.
The end of death penalty was a demand reiterated by human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch
, who criticized it as being contrary to the fundamental rights of citizens.
Former British colony, located in East Africa, Sierra Leone was criticized by human rights defenders for maintaining the death penalty, even if no executions have been carried out since 1998 and the sentences end up translating into life sentences.
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According to Amnesty International, in 2020 39 death sentences were issued, compared to 21 the previous year.
Sierra Leone’s 1991 Constitution provided for the death penalty for aggravated robbery , murder, treason and mutiny.
With this measure, Sierra Leone is following in the footsteps of other African countries, such as Chad and Malawi, which have recently abolished the death penalty in their territories.
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