Botswana has come under heavy criticism from civil society groups and diplomats for its decision to continue carrying out death penalty, APA can reveal here Wednesday.
This follows a recent announcement by prison authorities that death row inmate Mooketsi Kgosibodiba has been executed.
Local human rights group, DITSHWANELO said it noted “with concern and great disappointment” the execution of Kgosibodiba.
“DITSHWANELO remains opposed to and condemns the use of the death penalty as a means of punishment.
“We reiterate that our government should take the lead in condemning (and not, itself using) the use of force,” the organisation’s director Alice Mogwe said.
The European Union Delegation to Botswana and the heads of mission of Australia and Canada said in light of the execution of Kgosibodiba, “they reaffirm their strong opposition to capital punishment in all circumstances.”
“We continue to call on Botswana to initiate a public debate on its use of the death penalty, as the Government of Botswana has already agreed in the Universal Periodic Review of the UN Human Rights Council in January 2018,” they said in a statement.
The diplomats said their countries “stand ready to share our experience with the process of abolishing the death penalty.”
KO/jn/APA