Abolition of the death penalty in Zimbabwe

The Brazilian government welcomes the abolition of capital punishment in Zimbabwe on December 31. This measure stems from a law passed by Parliament and signed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, taking immediate effect. The 62 individuals currently under death sentence in the country will have their sentences commuted.

With this decision, the African nation joins the majority of states that have already abolished the death penalty, reaffirming its commitment to the multilateral system and to human rights, in particular the right of every individual not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.

The abolition also marks a milestone for the African continent, where more than 20 countries have fully eliminated the death penalty, and where the abolitionist movement has been advancing at an accelerated pace.

Brazil is part of the Inter-Regional Task Force on the Moratorium on the Use of the Death Penalty (IRTF), which traditionally calls on countries to impose a moratorium on capital punishment through a resolution presented every two years at the United Nations General Assembly. In 2024, the resolution gained record support, with more than two-thirds of UN member states in favor. This and other initiatives reaffirm Brazil’s commitment to the abolition of the death penalty and highlight its view that the practice is incompatible with human dignity and the right to life.