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Country joins growing list of African nations free of capital punishment, but execution remains for high treason.

Following the news of the abolition of the death penalty in Ghana, our Co-Executive Director Saul Lehrfreund speaks in an interview with Broadcaster TRT on “Why are executions on the rise in a number of countries?” Watch here:

This article was originally published in Jurist, 27 July 2023. Ghana’s Parliament voted Tuesday to amend the country’s Criminal Offences Act to replace the death penalty with life imprisonment. The vote came after Minister of Parliament (MP) Francis-Xavier Sosu introduced the amended bill with the backing of rights groups. The bill will see 170 inmates currently on death row have their sentences commuted…

This article was originally published in Pulse Ghana, 26 July 2023. In a landmark decision, Ghana’s parliament has taken a historic step by voting to abolish the death penalty, joining the ranks of progressive African nations that have recently moved to repeal capital punishment. Photo: Historic move as Ghana’s Parliament votes unanimously to abolish the Death Penalty! Since 1993, no…

This article was originally published in The Washington Post, 26 July 2023. Lawmakers in Ghana voted to remove the death penalty from the country’s criminal laws this week, hailing the move as a victory for the West African nation. A majority of Ghana’s parliament voted Tuesday to pass a bill to amend the Criminal Offenses Act, substituting the punishment —…

This article was originally published in The Ghana News Agency, 26 July 2023. The DPP, in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday, described the abolition as a huge win for human rights. Ghana’s Parliament on Tuesday, July 25, abolished the death penalty for all ordinary crimes (including murder, genocide, piracy and smuggling of gold and diamonds…

This article was originally published in Reuters, 25 July 2023. ACCRA, July 25 (Reuters) – Ghana’s parliament on Tuesday voted to abolish the death penalty, making the country the latest of several African nations that have moved to repeal capital punishment in recent years. No one has been executed in Ghana since 1993, although 176 people were on death row…

This article was originally published in BBC News, 25 July 2023. Ghana’s parliament has voted to abolish the death penalty, joining a long list of African countries that have done so in recent years. The country currently has 170 men and six women on death row, whose sentences will now be replaced by life imprisonment. The last execution took place…

Ghana’s Parliament today (25 July 2023)  abolished the death penalty for all ordinary crimes (including murder, genocide, piracy and smuggling of gold and diamonds and attempted murder in prison) by passing a private members Bill to amend the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Act, tabled by the MP for Madina, Francis Xavier-Sosu. Working alongside Ghanaian Parliamentarians and campaign groups, the London legal…

This article was originally posted MyJoyOnline, 25 July 2023. Ghana’s Parliament on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, abolished the death penalty for all ordinary crimes including murder, genocide, piracy and smuggling of gold and diamonds and attempted murder. This was done through the passage of a private member’s Bill to amend the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Act, tabled by the Member of…

This article was originally published in The Conversation Africa, 17 July 2023. Thirty years have now gone by since Ghana used its gallows, a fact that indicates the country’s respect for human life. It also means that Ghana is one of about 42 nations – many of which are in Africa – that the United Nations calls abolitionist de facto because they have not…

This opinion piece was originally published in Ghanian media outlet, My Joy Online, 11 July 2023. Thirty years have now gone by since Ghana used its gallows to carry out an execution. This welcome fact is a benchmark of the country’s decency, and respect for human life. It also means that Ghana is one of approximately 42 nations that are…