BOTSWANA. GOVERNMENT SLAMMED OVER 'SECRET' EXECUTIONS

July 3, 2007: the human rights movement in Botswana has issued a joint report on what it calls "hasty and secretive hangings" in this country.
The statement says "the authorities are reluctant to encourage public debate on the death penalty and its possible abolition (and) "there is a total lack of transparency in the actual execution process of the death sentence. It adds: "The hasty way in which most recent hangings have been carried out further casts doubt on the willingness of the government to seriously address this issue.
The apparent strong public support for capital punishment should not be used by those in power as a pretext to retain that inhuman sentence in domestic legislation." The human rights activists have also censured the government for not informing prisoners' families when an execution is or has taken place in order to allow a last visit to the condemned person. (Sources: AllAfrica.com, 03/07/2007)