The Working Group on Death Penalty and Extrajudicial, Summary and Arbitrary Killings in Africa (the Working Group) of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission) regrets the execution of Mahmoud Hassan Abdel-Naby on 7 March 2015 in the Arab Republic of Egypt.
The Commission reiterates its opposition to the imposition of the death penalty as it constitutes a violation of Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Charter), which specifically prohibits the arbitrary deprivation of the right to life and enshrines the integrity of persons. Article 5 of the Charter also prohibits cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment.
The Commission recalls its position in favour of the abolition of the death penalty in Africa.
The Commission urges the government of the Arab Republic of Egypt to observe a moratorium on the execution of death penalty in conformity with Resolutions ACHPR/Res 42 (XXVI) of the Commission and 62/149 of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
Banjul, 10 March 2015
