Zamparutti, Perduca and Raymond Atuguba (Executive Secretary of the Commission for the revision of the Constitution)

GHANA: HANDS OFF CAIN MISSION FOR ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY CONCLUDES

December 10, 2010: the Hands Off Cain mission for the abolition of the death penalty in Ghana concluded. The mission was also to convince the country to vote favourably for the pro moratorium resolution in discussion at the United Nations.
After a meeting with Foreign Minister Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, the Radical Association delegation (comprising Parliamentarian and Hands Off Cain Treasurer Elisabetta Zamparutti and Senator Marco Perduca) met the chief delegation of the European Union, ambassador Claude Maerten. They discussed aspects of Hands Off Cain's “Africa Project” for the abolition of the death penalty in the African continent, which is partly financed by the European Commission.
Afterwards, Elisabetta Zamparutti and Marco Perduca met the National Commission on Human Rights and the Administration of Jutice (CHRAJ), represented by Vice President Richard A. Quayson and investigations vice chief Isaac L. Annan, who emphasised the conditions of jail overpopulation – around 40 thousand prisoners kept in depalidated structures constructed during the colonial period – and the length of custody, which could be up to 10 years.
The two CHRAJ representatives expressed a position in favour of the abolition of the death penalty, also indicating a possible way to reach the objective. For example, they cited the work done to ratify the optional Protocol of the UN Convention against torture. Through the constitution of an ad hoc work group, comprising the Foreign Minister, the criminal lawyers association, the journalists association, numerous local NGOs, it quickly got the government to present in parliament the law that ratified the Protocol. It was a fundamental instrument that would allow regular visits and was not subject to restrictions in the places of detention by national and international independent organisations. The Commission was made available to replicate this success regarding torture for the abolition of the death penalty.
The Hands Off Cain mission finished with a meeting with the Commission for the revision of the Constitution. Raymond Atuguba, Executive Secretary, explained the characteristics of the reform process that should be concluded by 2011. They have presented more than 60 thousand observations, and this is destined to reach 100 thousand by the end of the year, finishing with the possibility for Ghanians to contribute to constitutional revision. Then, in March 2011, an international conference will be held in Accra during which there will be 12 themes examined, resulting from synthesis work done by the Commission. At the conference there will be participation by international experts and Hands Off Cain was invited to suggest speakers, moderators and observers for the whole conference. The conference will provide the first evaluation to the President of the Republic, which will act with the Government to then put this to the parliament.
Amongst the decisions will also be the one to put or less separately a referendum on the abolition of the death penalty. (Sources: HOC, 10/12/2010)