Amnesty International Ghana has renewed calls for constitutional reform to abolish the death penalty for high treason, following Ghana’s 2023 repeal of capital punishment for most crimes. The group also urged commuting 182 existing death sentences to life imprisonment.
Vice Chairperson Charity Batuure emphasized the irreversible nature of executions, stating they fail to deter crime and risk wrongful convictions. Her remarks came during the launch of two global human rights reports in Accra, highlighting concerns like restricted freedoms and accountability gaps.
Despite Ghana becoming the 24th African nation to abolish the death penalty last year, high treason remains punishable by death. In January 2024, six individuals were sentenced to hanging for a coup plot, though three were acquitted—a case Amnesty says underscores the system’s flaws.
