By Mohamed Sheriff, Information Attache`s
Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday 4 June 2021–The New United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Summary, or Arbitrary Executions to the United Nations in Geneva, Morris Tidball-Binz has paid a courtesy call on His Excellency Dr Lansana Gberie at Sierra Leone’s Embassy in Geneva, to discuss President Julius Maada Bio’s recent decision to abolish the death penalty and the parliamentary process to enact the relevant law in Sierra Leone.
Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Hon. Anthony Brewah Esq, first made the disclosure relating to the abolition of the death penalty on 12 May, during the Universal Periodic Review of Sierra Leone at the 38th Session of the UN Human Rights Council’s Working Group on UPR at the United Nations Assembly Hall in Geneva. The announcement was seized upon by Global Rights Advocates as the key highlight of long lists of human rights-related achievements by President Bio’s government, including advances in gender equity, independence of the judiciary, and the protection of children and other vulnerable citizens.
The Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Summary, or Arbitrary Executions commended President Bio for this important effort and encouraged parliament to enact the draft laws relating to the abolition of the death penalty into law.
Dr. Morris Tidball-Binz, an Argentinian/Chilean medical doctor who specialises in Forensic Science and is a Veteran Human Rights Advocate, said that the UN will continue to engage in the promotion of good governance and human rights and other key issues in the interest of both parties.
Ambassador Gberie congratulated Dr. Tidball-Binz on his assumption of the important role of United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Summary or Arbitrary Executions to the United Nations.
Ambassador Gberie said that the government is committed to enacting the law abolishing the death penalty before September this year, when recommendations made at Sierra Leone’s UPR in May will be formally adopted.
The Deputy and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, His Excellency, Samuel U.B Saffa Esq, pointed out that there are three felonious offences that carries the death: treason, murder, and robbery with aggravation. He noted that the Attorney General`s Office has already done the draft repeal law, awaiting presentation to parliament.
The Special Rapporteur on the extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions is one of the thematic special procedures overseen by the United Nations Human Rights Council. The mandate holder examines situations of extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions all over the world. The first holder of the office was Amos Wako, the former Attorney General of Kenya.
