Zimbabwe has officially abolished the death penalty with the signing of a new law by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The legislation, published in the Official Gazette on December 31, prohibits courts from imposing capital punishment and commutes all existing death sentences to prison terms.
While executions had been suspended since 2005 under a moratorium, courts continued to hand down death sentences for crimes such as murder, treason, and terrorism. The new law fully outlaws the death penalty for all offenses.
However, a provision in the law allows for the reintroduction of the death penalty during a state of emergency. As of late 2023, 59 inmates were on death row in Zimbabwe.
Amnesty International praised the move, calling it a “historic moment.” In a statement, the organization urged Zimbabwe to remove the state of emergency clause, calling for a complete abolition of the death penalty “without exceptions.”