Africa-Press – Liberia. Nimba County Electoral District #7 Representative and Chairman of the House’s Committee on Civil and Human Rights, Roger Domah has assured Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL), a nongovernmental national human rights organization of joining its quest in abolishing death penalty in Liberia.
Serving as keynote speaker at the 3rd Forum organized by Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL) on the sabolition of death penalty in Liberia, Rep. Domah acknowledged that the abolition of death penalty in Liberia is significant as there is no justice system safe from judicial error, and it is possible that innocent persons are likely to be sentenced to death or executed.
Drawing line from this year’s World Day Against the Death Penalty theme: “The Death penalty, a road paved with torture,” Rep. Domah said “I am aware that the World Day Against Death Penalty in 2022 is dedicated to reflecting on the relationship between the use of the death penalty and torture or other cruel punishments.”
The Nimba County Electoral District#7 lawmaker said “In my mind, death penalty does not serve as prevention to potential offenders than other severe punishments, and has no impact on the prevention of crime, violence.”
“I am aware that our country, Liberia has since committed herself to the universal abolition of the death penalty. As a member of the National Legislature, I must commend members of the Liberian Senate for the first step in passing the Anti-Death Penalty Bill which is now before us, members of the House of Representatives for concurrence,” he said.
He added “As we assemble here today, let me assure you that I will work with my colleagues in the House of Representatives to concur with the Liberian Senate on the passage of the anti-death penalty bill. Although we are still working out the details of this Bill at the House of Representatives, but I personally believe that the passage of this bill will see Liberia fulfilling its international human rights obligations relative to Liberia’s accepted Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendations which call for the abolition of death penalty in the country.”
Rep. Domah further added “Let me appreciate this organization, Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL) as a national human rights organization involves in series of advocacy campaigns/activities aimed at raising awareness on the abolition of death penalty as accepted by Liberia in the recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) that called for the abolition.”
For his part, the National Program Coordinator of Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL), Mr. Sam M. Nimely calls on members of the House of Representatives to concur with the Senate so that death penalty can be abolished as the country accepted recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) that called for the abolition of death penalty.
“Additionally, RAL would like to use this opportunity to congratulate H. E. Laurent Delahousse, Head of the European Union Delegation to Liberia; H. E. Michael Roux, Ambassador of France; Dr. Uchenna Emelonye; Country Representative of the Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR);French Development Agency; Ministry of Justice, especially the Human Rights Department of the Ministry of Justice and the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty (WCADP) for their consistent advocacy for the abolition of death penalty in Liberia,” Mr. Sam M. Nimely said.
Mr. Nimely also appreciated President George Weah for submitting the instrument to the National Legislature for death penalty abolition in Liberia.
Panelists at the one-day interactive forum include Alfred Quayjandii (Human Rights Activist) who spoke on the role of civil society in abolishing the death penalty and Kutaka Devine Togba (Director of the Human Rights Department) at the Ministry of Justice) who spoke on the role of the Ministry of Justice in ensuring the abolition of death penalty in Liberia.
At the end of the forum, the excited participants made their commitments in abolishing death penalty in Liberia by signing on the banner at the program.
The program was sponsored by the World Coalition Against the Death penalty with supports from the French Development Agency, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), European Union, French Embassy in Liberia among others.
RAL is a criminal justice system reform; death penalty abolition, and anti-torture advocacy group with membership of several national, regional, and international coalitions/networks, including Transitional Justice Working Group, West African Human Rights Defenders Networks, Pan African Human Rights Defender Networks, The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, and International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT). RAL was established in 1994.
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