Death Penalty: CCF partners Amnesty International to push for its abolishment

The removal of the death penalty from the Constitution has gained momentum as Amnesty International (AI) Ghana seeks Crime Check Foundation’s (CCF) support for its abolishment.

The removal of the penal code would see the amendment of the Criminal Offences Act, Act 29 (1960) to abolish the provisions relating to the use of the death penalty and the Ghana Armed Forces Act (1962), Act 105.

CCF would be part of the about eighteen Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to advocate for the removal of the death penalty to be replaced with life imprisonment.

The call for CCF’s support was made when the AI Ghana paid a courtesy call on the Executive Director of Crime Check Foundation, Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng, to court the support of the organization to sign a memorandum to be presented to Parliament to strengthen the process for the removal of the death penalty.

The Campaign and Communication Coordinator of Amnesty International, Belinda Asamanyuah, said CCF forms part of its strategic partners because of its strong advocacy on human rights.

She said CCF’s support would be effective in seeing to the removal of the death penalty Act.

Madam Asamanyuah explained the need for the memorandum while she appealed to CCF to join the fight.

“We were seeking to push for the review of the Constitution which was expensive, so we were advised to rather go after the amendment of the Criminal Offences Act to remove the death penalty and substitute it with life imprisonment. Parliament is currently seeking a memorandum in support or against the motion, and that is why we are here to appeal for your support to join our fight for the amendment,” she said.

Mr. Kwarteng, who is also the Ambassador Extraordinaire of Ghana Prisons, assured the team from AI of CCF’s support but urged them to take into consideration other human rights violations perpetrated by some members of the criminal justice chain as well as abuses of the rights of prisoners.

He also chastised successive governments for their inability to fund a referendum to ensure that some entrenched clauses that infringe on the rights of citizens.

“It is a worthy call, and we have been drumming home this call for a long time. The death penalty is something that all well-meaning people do not subscribe to, especially when democracy has taken root in most countries. The call for the removal of the death penalty is long overdue, and some of us cannot understand why a country like Ghana, which claims to be a beacon of democracy and a champion of human rights, cannot fund a referendum.

“We will support you because it is a worthy cause, but there are lots of entrenched clauses in the Constitution that need to be expunged. I would want to appeal to you not to over-concentrate on the death penalty. Conditions in Prisons are terrible, and I would urge you to go to the Prisons and also take up the issues. Take into consideration also abuses against migrants,” he said.

In a statement on its position on the death penalty, Amnesty International is of the view that it breaches human rights, in particular, the right to life and the right to live free from torture or cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment or punishment.

Background

Amnesty International Ghana’s campaign to abolish the death penalty in Ghana, until recently, focused mainly on influencing the Executive Arm of Government and the Legislature to abolish the death penalty through the implementation of the Constitution Review Commission’s recommendations.

However, AI Ghana changed its strategy to an advocacy approach grounded on sound legal advice focusing on amending the Criminal Offences Act, Act 29 (1960) to abolish 96 percent of the provisions relating to the use of the death penalty and the Ghana Armed Forces Act, Act 105 (1962) when it realized that the implementation of the recommendation to abolish the death penalty stalled.

The bill is currently before the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament after its first reading waiting for a memorandum for the motion to be moved.