Capital punishment in Botswana: Difference between revisions
Content deleted Content added
m References |
Tom.Reding (talk | contribs) m WP:STUBSPACING followup |
||
| (38 intermediate revisions by 29 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{short description|none}} |
|||
'''[[Capital punishment]]''' is a legal penalty in '''[[Botswana]]'''. It is one of a few [[democracies]] which continue to enforce it. The death sentence is usually issued upon [[murder]] under aggravated circumstances and is carried out by [[hanging]]. There is on average one execution per year, and the execution usually takes place few years after trial. One execution was carried out in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title= Death sentences and executions in 2016|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/act50/5740/2017/en/ |publisher= amnesty.org|accessdate=13 August 2017}}</ref> |
|||
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} |
|||
'''Capital punishment in Botswana''' is a legal penalty, and is usually applied for [[murder]] under aggravated circumstances. Executions are carried out by [[hanging]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Botswana |url=https://worldcoalition.org/pays/botswana/ |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=WCADP |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Nleya |first=Mary-Jean |date=2018-08-09 |title=The Paradox of Botswana’s Death Penalty {{!}} by Mary-Jean Nleya |url=https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/botswana-illiberal-affinity-for-capital-punishment-by-mary-jean-nleya-2018-08 |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=Project Syndicate |language=en}}</ref> Despite this, Botswana’s constitution guarantees right to life.<ref name=":0" /> It is the only country in Southern Africa that still uses capital punishment as a punishment.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-09 |title=Botswana: Executions of two people show contempt for right to life under President Masisi’s government |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/press-release/2021/02/botswana-executions-of-two-people-show-contempt-for-right-to-life-under-president-masisis-government/ |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=Amnesty International |language=en}}</ref> |
|||
There is on average one execution per year, and the execution usually takes place some years after the award of sentence by the trial court. In recent years, one execution has been carried out in 2016, two in 2018, one in 2019, and one in 2020.<ref>{{cite web|title=Death sentences and executions in 2016|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/act50/5740/2017/en/|publisher=amnesty.org|access-date=13 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://venasnews.co.ke/2019/12/02/botswana-government-executes-mooketsi-kgosibodiba-for-murdering-his-employer/|title = Botswana Government Executes Mooketsi Kgosibodiba for Murdering His Employer – Venas News}}</ref> |
|||
A widely recognized case was that of [[Mariette Bosch]], a [[South African]] [[immigrant]] who was sentenced to death for murdering her lover's wife. She was sentenced in 1999 and executed two years later, one of the few white women ever officially executed in [[Africa]]. |
|||
== Notable cases == |
|||
A controversial case was that of [[Mariette Bosch]], a South African immigrant who was sentenced to death for murdering her lover's wife. She was sentenced in 1999 and executed two years later. She was the fourth woman to be executed since independence in 1966 and one of the few white women ever executed in Africa. She was hanged in secret, without her relatives being notified.<ref name="Secret">{{cite news|last1=McGreal|first1=Chris|title=Outrage at secret Botswana hanging|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/apr/03/chrismcgreal|access-date=12 July 2020|work=The Guardian|date=3 April 2001}}</ref> |
|||
The human rights organisation [[Ditshwanelo]] has campaigned against the [[death penalty]]. By 2018 over 40 African countries had stopped capital punishment and Botswana was now the only country practising it in the [[Southern African Development Community]].<ref name="DP-2018">{{cite news|title=DITSHWANELO Press Statement On World Day Against The Death Penalty 2018|url=https://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?aid=77972&dir=2018/october/15|access-date=12 July 2020 |work=Mmegi Online|date=15 October 2018}}</ref> In 2020, Mmika Michael Mpe was hanged for the 2014 murder of Reinette Vorster.<ref name="DP-2020">{{cite news|last1=KGAMANYANE|first1=NNASARETHA|title=Ditshwanelo condemns murder convict execution|url=https://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?aid=84611&dir=2020/february/27|access-date=12 July 2020|work=Mmegi Online|date=27 February 2020}}</ref> |
|||
==See also== |
==See also== |
||
{{Portal| |
{{Portal|Law}} |
||
* [[Botswana Prison Service]] |
* [[Botswana Prison Service]] |
||
| Line 11: | Line 18: | ||
==External links== |
==External links== |
||
* Winslow, Dr. Robert. "[http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/rwinslow/africa/botswana.html Botswana]." ([http://www. |
* Winslow, Dr. Robert. "[https://web.archive.org/web/20130517140637/http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/rwinslow/africa/botswana.html Botswana]." ([https://web.archive.org/web/20130517140637/http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/rwinslow/africa/botswana.html Archive]) ''A Comparative Criminology Tour of the World''. [[San Diego State University]]. |
||
* "[http://www.westminster.ac.uk/research/a-z/centre-for-capital-punishment-studies/news-and-events/news/news-items/death-penalty-five-years-after-bosch,-nothing-changed-in-botswana DEATH PENALTY: Five Years after Bosch, Nothing Changed in Botswana]." ([http://www. |
* "[https://archive.today/20130419145610/http://www.westminster.ac.uk/research/a-z/centre-for-capital-punishment-studies/news-and-events/news/news-items/death-penalty-five-years-after-bosch,-nothing-changed-in-botswana DEATH PENALTY: Five Years after Bosch, Nothing Changed in Botswana]." ([https://archive.today/20130419145610/http://www.westminster.ac.uk/research/a-z/centre-for-capital-punishment-studies/news-and-events/news/news-items/death-penalty-five-years-after-bosch,-nothing-changed-in-botswana Archive]) [[University of Westminster]]. 1 November 2011. |
||
* Full article: Gabotlale, Bester. "[http://www.ipsnews.net/2006/05/death-penalty-five-years-after-bosch-nothing-changed-in-botswana/ DEATH PENALTY: Five Years after Bosch, Nothing Changed in Botswana]." ''[[Inter Press Service]]''. |
|||
| ⚫ | * Novak, Andrew (student author). "[http://www.bu.edu/law/central/jd/organizations/journals/international/volume27n1/documents/Novak.pdf Guilty of Murder with Extenuating Circumstances: Transparency and the Mandatory Death Penalty in Botswana]." ([https://web.archive.org/web/20160309123020/http://www.bu.edu/law/central/jd/organizations/journals/international/volume27n1/documents/Novak.pdf Archive]) ''[[Boston University International Law Journal]]''. Spring (northern hemisphere) 2009. Volume 27, Issue 1, p. 173. ISSN 0737-8947. Available on [[EBSCOHost]], [[HeinOnline]], and [[LexisNexis Academic]]. |
||
{{coord|22|19|42.5|S|24|41|05.52|E|display=title}} |
|||
| ⚫ | * Novak, Andrew (student author). "[http://www.bu.edu/law/central/jd/organizations/journals/international/volume27n1/documents/Novak.pdf Guilty of Murder with Extenuating Circumstances: Transparency and the Mandatory Death Penalty in Botswana]." ([http://www. |
||
*[http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?aid=60216&dir=2016/may/25 Gabaakanye executed] 25 May 2016 |
*[http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?aid=60216&dir=2016/may/25 Gabaakanye executed] 25 May 2016 |
||
{{capital punishment}} |
{{capital punishment}} |
||
[[Category:Capital punishment in Botswana |
[[Category:Capital punishment in Botswana]] |
||
[[Category: |
[[Category:Law of Botswana]] |
||
[[Category: |
[[Category:Human rights abuses in Botswana]] |
||
{{Botswana-stub}} |
{{Botswana-stub}} |
||
{{Africa-law-stub}} |
{{Africa-law-stub}} |
||
{{law-enforcement-stub}} |
|||
{{Humanrights-stub}} |
|||
Latest revision as of 13:06, 17 September 2024
Capital punishment in Botswana is a legal penalty, and is usually applied for murder under aggravated circumstances. Executions are carried out by hanging.[1][2] Despite this, Botswana’s constitution guarantees right to life.[2] It is the only country in Southern Africa that still uses capital punishment as a punishment.[3]
There is on average one execution per year, and the execution usually takes place some years after the award of sentence by the trial court. In recent years, one execution has been carried out in 2016, two in 2018, one in 2019, and one in 2020.[4][5]
Notable cases
[edit]A controversial case was that of Mariette Bosch, a South African immigrant who was sentenced to death for murdering her lover's wife. She was sentenced in 1999 and executed two years later. She was the fourth woman to be executed since independence in 1966 and one of the few white women ever executed in Africa. She was hanged in secret, without her relatives being notified.[6]
The human rights organisation Ditshwanelo has campaigned against the death penalty. By 2018 over 40 African countries had stopped capital punishment and Botswana was now the only country practising it in the Southern African Development Community.[7] In 2020, Mmika Michael Mpe was hanged for the 2014 murder of Reinette Vorster.[8]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "Botswana". WCADP. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ a b Nleya, Mary-Jean (9 August 2018). "The Paradox of Botswana's Death Penalty | by Mary-Jean Nleya". Project Syndicate. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ "Botswana: Executions of two people show contempt for right to life under President Masisi's government". Amnesty International. 9 February 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ "Death sentences and executions in 2016". amnesty.org. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ^ "Botswana Government Executes Mooketsi Kgosibodiba for Murdering His Employer – Venas News".
- ^ McGreal, Chris (3 April 2001). "Outrage at secret Botswana hanging". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
- ^ "DITSHWANELO Press Statement On World Day Against The Death Penalty 2018". Mmegi Online. 15 October 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
- ^ KGAMANYANE, NNASARETHA (27 February 2020). "Ditshwanelo condemns murder convict execution". Mmegi Online. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
External links
[edit]- Winslow, Dr. Robert. "Botswana." (Archive) A Comparative Criminology Tour of the World. San Diego State University.
- "DEATH PENALTY: Five Years after Bosch, Nothing Changed in Botswana." (Archive) University of Westminster. 1 November 2011.
- Full article: Gabotlale, Bester. "DEATH PENALTY: Five Years after Bosch, Nothing Changed in Botswana." Inter Press Service.
- Novak, Andrew (student author). "Guilty of Murder with Extenuating Circumstances: Transparency and the Mandatory Death Penalty in Botswana." (Archive) Boston University International Law Journal. Spring (northern hemisphere) 2009. Volume 27, Issue 1, p. 173. ISSN 0737-8947. Available on EBSCOHost, HeinOnline, and LexisNexis Academic.
- Gabaakanye executed 25 May 2016
 | This Botswana-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This article relating to the law of Africa or of an African country is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This law enforcement–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This human rights-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |