Friday’s vote by the Central African National Assembly saw the abolition the death penalty announced the President of the Assembly. This is a country that has been in civil war since 1981, when the last capital execution was.
“The Central African Republic’s National Assembly adopted the law abolishing death penalty by acclamation”, was affirmed in front of Simplice Mathieu Sarangji to cheers. Faustin Archange Tuadera, President of the Republic has yet to promulgate the law.
According to UN, the Central African Republic is the second-poorest country in the world. It has been devastated by civil war since 2013. However, it has seen a significant decrease in its intensity since 2018. Ghislain Junior Mortjim, Secretary General to the National Assembly, stated that the Central African Republic’s last capital execution was in 1981.
After Sierra Leone and Chad, the Central African Republic now joins the list African countries that have abolished death penalty in recent years.
“Good news, the National Assembly of the Central African Republic just voted to abolish the Death Penalty,” tweeted Amnesty International. It is a campaign for capital punishment. “We invite President (…), to promulgate the law.”
Bruno Gbiegba (advocacy coordinator for the Central African Republic’s abolitionist death penalty), stated that while they are satisfied, “we will have to increase public awareness.” The Central African Republic is a country with approximately 5.5 million inhabitants and a nearly-failed law. It has been bloodied by civil wars that have raged for decades, the most recent of which started 9 years ago.
The most powerful of the many armed group that then shared two-thirds the territory at the end of 2020 launched an attack on Bangui just before the elections. Touadera had urged Moscow to rescue its poor army.
The Central African forces and their Russian allies drove the rebels from large parts of the territories and towns that they controlled since the beginning of 2021. However, they were unable to reinstall the State’s presence and authority everywhere.
Michelle Bachelet (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights), denounced “serious violations of human rights” in the Central African Republic on March 30, including murders and sexual violence against civilians. , not only by rebel groups but also by the armed forces and Russian allies of the regime.
