Zimbabwe Abolishes Death Penalty Two Decades After Last Execution

Harare (AFP) – Zimbabwe has officially abolished the death penalty after President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed into law an act that will commute to jail time the sentences of about 60 prisoners on death row.

There has been a moratorium on executions in the southern African country since 2005 although courts have continued to hand down the death sentence for crimes including murder, treason and terrorism.

The Death Penalty Abolition Act, published in Government Gazette Tuesday, says courts can no…