Strong mobilization in Sub-Saharan Africa

Homepage The campaign for the abolition of the death penalty on the African continent Strong mobilization in Sub-Saharan Africa on World Day

- World Day
  Strong mobilization in Sub-Saharan Africa on World Day
  Article by Thalia Gerzso published on October 19th, 2017
  On October 10, 2017, all the abolitionists all around the world joined their forces to celebrate the 15th World Day Against the Death Penalty. The mobilization was particularly strong in Sub-Saharan Africa where many events were organized. Thus, the pugnacity of African abolitionists put the abolition of the death penalty at the heart of every discussion.
- A strong mobilization
  
  On October 10, 2017, 30 events have been recorded so far in Sub-Saharan Africa. These events were as numerous as diverse. Many organizations such as ACAT Benin and the Legal Human Rights Center in Tanzania organized debates and panel discussions. Many of them were on this year’s theme: poverty and the death penalty. For instance, the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative organized a debate on poverty and the death penalty in Kampala, Uganda. These debates underlined why people living in poverty are at a greater risk of being sentenced to death and executed. In a conference on “poverty and justice” organized by ACAT Benin, Valéry Houangni emphasized how people from poor economic background struggle to access justice: “To defend yourself, you need a lawyer. Consultation fee will cost you 50,000 Francs and contingency fee may amount from 10% to 15%” she said. Other organizations tailored their events to the needs of the civil society. Hence, RACOPEM and Association Droit et Paix co-organized in Cameroon a panel discussion on the importance of side investigation for lawyers with the aim of providing Cameroonian lawyers tools to ensure an effective representation in a country where death sentences have dramatically increased.
  
  World Day events, however, were not limited to conferences. Other organizations such as Community of St Egidio, ICJ or Amnesty International Benin visited death row prisoners in Kenya and in Benin. In Uganda, Foundation for Human Rights Initiative spent three hours in a solidarity visit to the death row prisoners both in the male and female sections to manifest their support to prisoners and let them know they were not forgotten. Indeed, one of the main goal of this mobilization was to raise awareness about the death penalty and highlight the impact on prisoners and their families. In that regard, many awareness campaigns took place all around Africa. Pax Christi-Uvira arranged several meetings between students and educators in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The main goal was to alert young generations about the death penalty and the flaws of the criminal justice system. The Children Education Society (CHESO) in Tanzania also targeted children and teenagers by organizing a “Draw me the abolition” exhibition in partnership with ECPM. Thus, thanks to this broad mobilization, the abolition of the death penalty was widely debated.
  
  A broad media coverage
  
  Media coverage was also a key factor in the World Day Against the Death Penalty’s success. In Kenya, News Centre interviewed John Muthuri from the Africa Prison Project to discuss how the judiciary was about to construe differently the notion of mandatory death penalty. In Mali and Benin, national televisions followed the debate organized by ACAT Benin and ACAT Mali. Newspaper massively circulated press releases from abolitionists, especially in Botswana where retentionist movements prevail. Despite judicial and political disparities among countries, the message remained the same: the complete abolition of the death penalty, in law and in practice. As to this day, the African media coverage of World Day events represents 18 % of the worldwide media coverage.
  
  This strong mobilization, hence, put the abolition at the center of political debates. In Tanzania, for instance the newspaper The Citizen stated: “Pressure is mounting to abolish the death penalty”. In Ivory Coast, the newspaper Abidjan.net questioned the government’s inertia regarding the ratification of the Second Optional Protocol of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights aiming at the abolition of the death penalty. Abolitionists’ mobilization also had an impact beyond the African continent. Several Embassies responded to the African organizations’ calls. The Delegation of the European Union in Uganda joined the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative in its solidary visit and released a press statement urging for the abolition of the death penalty in Uganda. This awakening has pushed abolitionists to go even further in their advocacy.
- Related
  - World Day 15th World Day Against the Death Penalty: Poverty Campaign published on June 12th, 2017
- Same issue
  - Africa Parliamentarians from French-speaking Africa commit to the abolition of the death penalty Article by Jessica Corredor published on January 17th, 2017
  - Protocol São Tomé and Príncipe ratifies OP2 and approves total and definitive abolition of the death penalty Article by Elise Guillot published on January 18th, 2017
  - Africa Towards the abolition of the death penalty in DRC: advances to be confirmed Article by Olivier LUNGWE FATAKI - Pax Christi Uvira published on December 13th, 2016
  - African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Renewed calls for the abolition of the death penalty at the NGO forum and the 59th Session of the ACHPR Article by Jessica Corredor published on November 25th, 2016
  - World Day Africa raises its voice against the death penalty Article by Tiziana Trotta published on October 21st, 2016
  - African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights 58th Extraordinary Session of the ACHPR: a strong commitment of African states to a treaty providing the abolition of the death penalty Article by Guillaume Colin published on April 14th, 2016
  - Africa African Commission adopts draft Protocol on abolition Article by Maria Donatelli published on April 24th, 2015
  - Africa In Cameroon, the abolitionist network grows Article by Nestor Toko and Jessica Corredor published on October 28th, 2016
  - Africa Abolition of the death penalty in Guinea Article by Marion Gauer published on July 05th, 2016
  - Africa The abolitionists’ forum in Niger: a great success Article by Garba Illou Almoctar and Elise Guillot published on November 22nd, 2016
  - Africa Pardon Prisoners On Death Row Article by Lucy Peace Nantume published on November 08th, 2016
  - Protocol ACAT-CI commits to the ratification of OP2 in Côte d’Ivoire Article by N'guettia Yves Arsene Kouadio - ACAT Côte d'Ivoire published on January 04th, 2017
  - Good News Tanzania: President Magufuli declares his position against the death penalty. Article by Thalia Gerzso published on September 20th, 2017
  - Good News Gambia and Madagascar commit to irreversible abolition Article by Aurelie Placais published on September 22nd, 2017
  - Democratic Republic of the Congo: the abolitionists organize workshops for journalists Article by Thalia Gerzso published on September 25th, 2017
  - Africa Makwanyane Institute Is Launched at Cornell Law School Article by Sherrie Negrea, Cornell Law School published on July 17th, 2017
  - Africa Toward the abolition in Cameroon Article by Lorène du Crest et Nicolas Perron published on July 06th, 2017
  - African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights A major abolitionist gathering for the 60th ordinary session of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights in Niger Article by Jessica Corredor published on May 19th, 2017
  - Report 12 Years Without an Execution: Is Zimbabwe Ready for Abolition? Article by Death Penalty Project published on May 24th, 2018
  - ACHPR The death penalty at the heart of the debates of the 62nd Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights Article by Guillaume Colin - Jessica Corredor published on May 15th, 2018
  - Joint Statement Mandatory Death Penalty for Blasphemy in Mauritania Article by World Coalition Against the death penalty published on May 11th, 2018
  - Report “Unknown Assailants: A Threat to Human Rights” Article by Legal Human Rights Centre published on May 04th, 2018
  - Regional Congress “It’s in Africa that we find the strongest dynamics towards abolition” Article by Clémentine Etienne published on April 24th, 2018
  - Statement World Coalition welcomes the success of the Regional Congress in Africa Article by World Coalition Against the Death Penalty published on April 12th, 2018
  - Good news The Supreme Court of Kenya declares the mandatory death penalty unconstitutional Article by Thalia Gerzso published on January 23rd, 2018
  - ACHPR « A new Gambia » welcomes the 61st session of the ACHPR Article by FIACAT and World Coalition against the Death Penalty published on November 21st, 2017
  - Africa Innocent and Sentenced to Die: Wrongful Incarceration on Nigeria's Death Row Video published on October 14th, 2016
- Keywords
- Discrimination Member organizations World Coalition Against the Death Penalty Death Penalty Country/Regional profiles
- Other Articles
- Research Documenting Human Rights Violations in North Korea
- Call for tenders Website Redesign and Development
- MENA Unfair trials and the death penalty for terrorism in Iraq