15 Year Anniversary

GlobalGiving Report

Project:  15 Year Anniversary

Topic: Death Penalty Abolished

Due: Sept 1st.

On 23 July, Sierra Leone abolished the death penalty, a historic milestone for us as #AdvocAidTurns15. Since its founding 15 years ago, AdvocAid has campaigned to end this cruel practice and provided free legal representation for women and men on death row to challenge their convictions and death sentences. In that time, AdvocAid has secured the release of six women and three men on death row through appeals or presidential pardon applications.

Although there have been no executions since 1998, there has been a resurgence in death sentences being delivered by Courts causing mental anguish to people on death row and their families. The death penalty was mandatory in Sierra Leone meaning a judge could not take into account any mitigating circumstances, such as gender-based violence.

Advocaid’s Executive Director, Rhiannon Davis commented on the decision by Parliament: “AdvocAid welcomes the decision to abolish the death penalty. For 15 years, AdvocAid has tirelessly fought to end this cruel practice, through litigation, advocacy, and supporting women with lived experience of death row to share their stories. Replacing the death penalty with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment is landmark step. This approach gives the judiciary scope to consider in their sentencing the factors that lead women to come into contact with the law, which often include histories of poverty and gender-based violence. "

There were 99 people on death row, as at June 2021. AdvocAid and other human rights organisations had advocated that legislation to replace the death penalty should also provide for a judicial re-sentencing process for prisoners who have been sentenced to death. This would reduce the need for commutations or other special procedures. We welcome that the Government has committed to reviewing this.

We once again congratulate the Government of Sierra Leone, the activists and civil society partners, donors and international partners who all worked towards this acheivement. We also thank all the men and women on death row who we worked with over the years and who courageously shared their stories in order to make the case for the abolition of the death penalty.