Liberian Rights Advocates Urge Abolition of Death Penalty

PAYNESVILLE — Naymote Partners for Democratic Development has entered into a partnership with the Civil Society Human Rights Advocacy Platform of Liberia (CSOHRAP) to strengthen human rights monitoring, legislative engagement, and evidence-based advocacy aimed at advancing the abolition of the death penalty in Liberia.

The partnership is being implemented under the FCDO Support for the Abolition of the Death Penalty Phase III – A Strategic Advocacy Initiative, through a sub-award agreement effective August 3, 2026, and running through January 31, 2027.

Under the agreement, Naymote will contribute to strengthening civil society engagement with the Liberian Legislature by monitoring legislative developments, gathering and analyzing information on lawmakers’ positions on the death penalty, and developing a standardized legislative scorecard methodology to support evidence-based advocacy.

Adama Dempster, Secretary General of CSHRAP, said Liberia’s continued retention of the death penalty undermines its commitment to international human rights standards and called on the government and Legislature to take concrete steps toward its abolition.

Dempster made the remarks on Monday during a one-day capacity-building training for legislative observers and interns on the Abolition of Death Penalty Project (ADP), legislative engagement and advocacy, organized by SHRAP in partnership with Naymote Partners for Democratic Development, with support from the British Embassy.

He said Liberia was among the first ten countries to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which seeks the abolition of capital punishment.

According to Dempster, Liberia abolished the death penalty in 2005 but subsequently reintroduced it between 2005 and 2008 following concerns over increasing armed robberies, hijackings, and other violent crimes.

He said the decision was intended to deter criminal activities but had failed to produce the desired results.

“The reintroduction of the death penalty had not reduced crimes at all, and it had not changed society in terms of serving as a lesson for those who are committing crimes daily,” Dempster said.

He argued that Liberia’s commitment to human rights should be reflected in its laws and policies, particularly those concerning the protection of human life.

Dempster cited Article 20(a) of the Liberian Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as legal frameworks that underscore the protection of life.

He also raised concerns about the possibility of wrongful convictions, particularly given what he described as Liberia’s limited forensic capacity to conclusively identify individuals involved in criminal activities.

According to him, executing a person who is later found to have been wrongfully convicted would constitute an irreversible miscarriage of justice.

“The actions taken under the death penalty are irreversible. If we later discover that an individual was not the person who committed the crime, what do we say to such a person?” he asked.

Dempster maintained that Liberia could adopt alternative punishments, including life imprisonment, while strengthening its criminal justice system and improving prison facilities.

He cautioned against using existing prison conditions as a justification for retaining capital punishment, arguing that prisons should focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment alone.

Dempster said SHRAP and Naymote are intensifying engagement with lawmakers to build support for the abolition of the death penalty.

He disclosed that legislative observers and interns would be stationed at the Legislature to monitor proceedings, track lawmakers’ positions, and document debates relating to the proposed abolition.

According to him, the observers will monitor lawmakers who support, oppose, or abstain from decisions concerning the death penalty, providing civil society organizations with information to guide targeted advocacy.

“The legislative interns’ work will help us to know how to engage individual lawmakers and how to win them over to support this bill that has to do with abolishing the death penalty,” he said.

He added that the initiative would help civil society organizations better understand lawmakers’ positions and develop strategies to engage those who remain opposed to abolition.

Dempster said there was political willingness within the Legislature to advance the issue, noting that the position of the Senate could provide an opportunity for further engagement with the House of Representatives.

He urged lawmakers to reconsider the existing legal framework, arguing that abolishing the death penalty would strengthen Liberia’s human rights credentials and demonstrate leadership in the region.

Dempster further argued that Liberia’s international standing creates an opportunity for the country to demonstrate leadership on human rights issues.

He cited countries across Africa and the world that have abolished capital punishment, including Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire.

He said Liberia should align itself with evolving international human rights standards, particularly as the country seeks to play a greater role in international affairs.

“We need to show leadership by abolishing the death penalty,” Dempster said.

He maintained that the abolition of capital punishment would not weaken Liberia’s justice system but would instead encourage reforms aimed at protecting lives, strengthening accountability, and ensuring justice.

The Abolition of Death Penalty Project 2026 seeks to strengthen legislative engagement and advocacy through the training of observers and interns, equipping them with the skills to monitor legislative proceedings and support efforts to secure the abolition of capital punishment in Liberia.