PDP commemorates World Day against Death Penalty

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) joins the people of Zimbabwe, Africa and the international community in commemorating today's World Day against Death Penalty.

As PDP we reiterate our position that the death penalty is totally inhumane, degrading and against international best practices.

We therefore demand the immediate abolition of the death penalty in Zimbabwe as it is in breach of the country's Constitution, which guarantees and protects the right to life for every citizen.

As we commemorate this day, we note with concern that they are at least 117 convicted inmates on the death row in Zimbabwe who are facing death and are being subjected to physical and psychological torture.

Some of these condemned prisoners have been waiting for the hangman for between three and 21 years living under squalor conditions at Harare Central Prison or Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison where they are kept in solitary confinement for 23 hours every day.

They are living a life without hope, alienation and vilification and the prison for them has become a prison within a prison.  Some of these condemned prisoners are having mental health challenges or are terminally ill.

As the PDP we are fully behind the constitutional challenge that has been brought to the Constitutional Court by some prisoners who are on death row seeking review of their sentences and that they are allowed to go for resentencing.

It is within their constitutional mandate to approach the Constitutional Court as any aggrieved person has a right to approach the courts.

However, as PDP we are aware of the heinous crimes that prisoners facing murder charges would have committed but the act of hanging an accused person is barbaric and outdated and Zimbabwe should follow international standards and the solution is to abolish the death penalty.

#TogetherAnotherZimbabweIsPossible

PDP Communications