Pope Francis has renewed his call for the abolition of the death penalty worldwide, stating that it “attacks the inviolability and dignity of the person”.
The Pope took to social media to speak for the need to deter and correct crime rather than kill, saying individuals, no matter their crimes, should be given the chance to repent and change, even up until the very last moments of their lives.
“The #DeathPenalty is always inadmissible, because it attacks the inviolability and dignity of the person. I appeal for its abolition in all countries of the world.
“We must not forget that a person can repent and change, even up until the very last moment of their life,” he said.
The Pope, fond of speaking out on social issues, had previously touched on controversial subjects of homosexuality, sex change, war in the Middle East and artificial intelligence.
His statement on Thursday came on the day the world commemorated mental health, as well as homelessness. And countries across the world have started realising, or at least speaking about, the issues of mental health that may sometimes push them into crime. But the idea of abolishing death penalty has never been universal.
“So many people spend their lives accumulating possessions, concerned only about their own wellbeing and not the good they can do. Yet, our life is empty when it is centered on our own needs and we blind ourselves to the needs of others! #WorldHomelessDay,” he added.
This renewed call from Pope Francis comes at a time when the global debate on the death penalty is gaining momentum. Human rights organisations such as Amnesty International, have been campaigning for the complete abolition of the death penalty for decades.
In Kenya, the death penalty is still on legal books but no execution has happened for more than 30 years. The last execution in Kenya occurred in 1987, when Hezekiah Ochuka, one of the masterminds behind the 1982 coup attempt, was hanged.
Although Kenya continues to sentence individuals to death, the practice has effectively been dormant, with most death sentences commuted to life imprisonment. There has been growing public debate within the country about whether the death penalty should be fully abolished, in line with global human rights standards.
In fact, the Supreme Court has since ruled that there won’t be automatic death penalties for crimes that traditionally attracted one. The decision meant some of the death-row inmates were commuted to life sentence.
In 2023, Kenya witnessed significant developments regarding the death penalty, including a remarkable 606 commutations—the highest in Africa—and five exonerations, leaving 120 individuals still under a death sentence by the end of the year. According to Amnesty.
Death penalty, in Africa, was traditionally used to punish crimes such as robbery with violence and murder. But activists say there is little correlation between number of death penalties and crime rates.
The 2023 annual report on the death penalty, by Amnesty International, revealed a troubling rise in global executions. The report highlights that 1,153 people were executed in 16 countries in 2023, marking a 30 percent increase compared to 2022.
“The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception – regardless of who is accused, the nature or circumstances of the crime, guilt or innocence or method of execution,” read one statement from Amnesty
Amnesty International reported that the sharp rise in executions in 2023 was largely driven by countries in the Middle East, with Iran and Saudi Arabia leading the way. Iran was responsible for 74 percent of the executions, primarily for drug-related offenses, while Saudi Arabia contributed 15 percent.
Globally, over 100 countries have now abolished the death penalty in law or practice. The United Kingdom, for instance, abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1998, marking the end of capital punishment after decades of reform. Many other European nations have followed suit, with the European Union requiring the abolition of the death penalty as a condition for membership.
