According to the Human Rights Commission (HRC), eliminating the death penalty is a significant step in advancing the fundamental right to life.
According to HRC Spokesperson MWEELWA MULEYA, President HAKAINDE HICHILEMA’s choice to sign the Penal Code Amendment Bill of 2022 is an example of bold leadership that has finally put an end to the 25-year debate over the abolition of the death sentence.
According to Mr. Muleya, the death penalty should be abolished in accordance with the global trend of changing subsidiary laws that specify offenses that carry the death penalty in order to cease what he has called a harsh and barbaric practice.
He finds it satisfying that Zambia currently lacks any legislation that mandates the death sentence as a form of punishment for any crime as a result of the Penal Code Act’s amendment to remove the provision relating to the mandatory death sentence for crimes of treason, murder, and aggravated robbery.
Furthermore, Mr. Muleya argues that the Defamation of the President Act should be repealed since it had the negative consequence of restricting the right to free speech..
He claims that the President’s decision to repeal the offense of defaming the President is a progressive and brave act of commitment to strengthening democracy and human rights, especially given that it was made at a time when the President is constantly the target of abuses of the freedom of expression.
According to a declaration made by Mr. MULEYA in Lusaka, this is the case.
