The Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Switzerland, Lansana Gberie has on Tuesday, 28 February, 2023 in a Biennial High-Level Panel on Death Penalty (Res.26/2 and 48/9) at the 52nd Session Of The Human Right Council (27th February – 4th April, 2023) highlighted President Bio’s landmark decision to abolish death penalty in Sierra Leone

The session was based on the theme, ‘’Human Rights Violations Relating to the Use of the Death Penalty, in Particular with Respect to Limiting the Death Penalty to the Most Serious Crimes.’’

The Ambassador called on retentionist states to abolish death penalty to ensure a safer world that can accommodate everyone irrespective of their indifferences.

His statement reads:

”Mr. President,

Mr. High Commissioner, 

Distinguished Panellists, 

Sierra Leone welcomes the theme of this panel discussion and thanks the distinguished panellists for their insightful interventions.

My government acknowledges the supreme importance of the right to life, which we believe is inalienable and must not be violated. You will recall that in 2021, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio fulfilled his governance pledge by formally abolishing the death penalty in Sierra Leone. In doing so, the President was mindful both of the historic abuses to which this penalty was prone, and of a key recommendation of our Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2004. Our Parliament unanimously passed the ‘The Abolition of the Death Penalty Act, 2021’ covering all crimes. Since this landmark decision, we have commuted all death sentences, making sure that the law is implemented in a positive and proactive way. 

It is against this background that my delegation encourages retentionist States to work towards abolishing the death penalty. Pending outright abolition, we endorse the position that the application of the death penalty – if this grave option must be considered at all – should be restricted to ‘the most serious crimes’ as recommended by the Secretary-General in his Report (A/HRC/51/7). In all such cases, due process and fair trial must be scrupulously observed, and arbitrary application and discriminatory treatment of certain groups scrupulously avoided. 

Mr President,

We recall with appreciation the progressive approach that this Council has followed in addressing this issue in previous panel discussions. We further express our appreciation to States and other stakeholders that utilize the Human Rights Council mechanism, including the Universal Periodic Review, to trigger commitments to abolish or introduce a moratorium on death penalty. 

With the abolition of the death penalty in Sierra Leone, we have affirmed every citizen’s right to life, and committed ourselves to a future of social justice and respect for the dignity of all persons. 

 I thank you”.