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Historic day for Sierra Leone: The death penalty is abolished by decree

Today is a historic day for Sierra Leone as President Julius Maanda Bio has signed a decree abolishing it. death penalty.

“Today we are writing a new page in history. After 20 years, we keep our promise as a nation. “After 20 years, the death penalty is completely abolished in the Republic of Sierra Leone,” said President Bio during a signing ceremony in the capital, Freetown.

According to APE-MPE, the ratification by its president Sierra Leone Following the vote in parliament on 23 July, which passed a law abolishing the death penalty, which was replaced by a life sentence or a sentence of at least 30 years.

The former British colony of West Africa has been criticized by human rights defenders for not formally abolishing the death penalty, although the last executions took place more than 20 years ago and death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment.

The 1991 Sierra Leonean Constitution provided for the imposition of the death penalty for crimes of theft, murder, treason and misconduct.

Sierra Leone is the last African country to abolish the death penalty, after Malawi in April and Chad last year.

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