23 August 2011 :
Benin took an important step towards abolishing the death penalty after the country’s National Assembly voted in favour of ratifying the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which calls for the death penalty to be abolished.“Benin’s President Boni Yayi must act swiftly to finalize Benin’s ratification of the Optional Protocol and Benin’s example must be followed by neighbouring West African countries who have yet to abolish the death penalty,” said Véronique Aubert, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Africa.
At least 14 people are currently on death row in Benin’s prisons.
(Sources: Amnesty.org, 19/08/2011)
