Amnesty International has expressed disappointment over the latest stance taken by the Zambian government to maintain and uphold the Death penalty in the law books despite President Levy Mwanawasa refusing to sign any Death warrants.
 Amnesty International Zambia (AIZ) says despite the death penalty being a highly
contentious piece of legislation, the International human rights body was saddened
by remarks by Justice Minister George Kunda that the piece of legislation would
stay.
And AIZ Executive Director Charles Mulenga made the pronouncements in an interview
with the Zambia News and Information Services in Mufulira today.
Mr. Mulenga was reacting to remarks by the minister of Justice in parliament a
forth night ago that the piece of legislation wont be done away with.
He observed that the punishment was not only inhuman but a cruel and humiliating act.
And AIZ says it shall soon hold workshops targeted at Members of Parliament meant at
educating and coercing the legislators on the need to abolish the act.
Mr. Mulenga however noted that the courts of laws should not be blamed for effecting
the penalty as they were merely following what was in the law books of the country.
In his argument in parliament, Mr Kunda submitted that the death penalty was
contentious and that is why it was amongst the terms of reference to the Mungomba
Constitution Review Commission(CRC).
The Minister said the majority of people submitted to the CRC then that the death
penalty should remain on the statute books.
ZANIS
