MALAWI WILL NOT ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY, UN TOLD

July 9, 2014: Malawi will not abolish the death penalty from its laws, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Principal Secretary and Solicitor General Banda told United Nation Human Rights Council.
Banda said when formally presented the responses to the committee's question of whether the country had plans to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the [International Covenant on Civil and Politcal Rights] ICCPR by amending the Penal Code in order to formally abolish the death penalty.
She said Malawi retains the death penalty and, as such, has no intentions to ratify the Optional Protocol to the ICCPR.
"There are no immediate plans of abolishing the death penalty. Malawian courts still impose death penalties on persons convicted of murder," reads a response.
"Since the dawn to multiparty system of government, no person sentenced to death has been officially executed. As at early June 2014, there are 29 people on death row at Zomba Central Prison."
Murder, treason and armed robbery are punishable by hanging in Malawi but the country has not carried out an execution since 1992. (Source: Malawi Nyasa Times, July 11, 2014)