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The Human Rights Commission has praised the Zambian government for its recent accession to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), a global commitment to abolishing the death penalty.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Commission Spokesperson Mweelwa Muleya expressed appreciation for the government’s decision, which was made without any reservations.
He stated that Zambia’s accession to the protocol signifies a firm commitment to ensuring that no one will be executed within the country’s borders.
Muleya noted that Justice Minister Princes Kasune officially deposited the instruments of accession with the United Nations Secretary General in New York on December 19, 2024.
He also commended the National Assembly for approving the accession, ensuring that the death penalty will not be invoked in Zambia at any time.
“By acceding to the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR, Zambia joins the growing number of countries that have abandoned the death penalty,” Muleya said.
He recalled that Zambia abolished the death penalty on December 23, 2022, when President Hakainde Hichilema assented to the Criminal Procedure Code [Amendment] Bill No. 24 of 2022 and the Penal Code [Amendment] Bill No. 25 of 2022, which replaced the death penalty with life imprisonment.
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Muleya also commended Zambia for voting in Favour of the global suspension of the death penalty at the UN General Assembly on December 17, 2024.
“By acceding to the Second Optional Protocol and voting for the UN Moratorium on the death penalty, Zambia has shown its strong commitment to protecting the right to life and has sent a clear message that the abolition of the death penalty is irreversible,” he said.
He assured that the Commission would continue engaging with the government to promote and protect human rights in the country.
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