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CV NEWS FEED // The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe (CCJPZ), a Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference commission, has commended the country’s recent abolition of the death penalty.
The pastoral letter, shared Feb. 19 on social media pages of some dioceses in the country, was published Feb. 24 by IMBISA, the collaborative organization of the Bishops of Southern Africa.
Bishop Rudolf Nyandoro, chairman of the CCJPZ and the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office, affirmed the Church’s longstanding opposition to capital punishment, saying that the recent decision aligns with Catholic teachings on mercy, human dignity, and restorative justice.
“[T]he abolition of the death penalty is a significant step towards building a forgiving, a more just and compassionate society, and we commend the Government for taking this courageous step,” Bishop Nyandoro said.
The statement follows Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s decision to sign the Abolition of Death Penalty Bill into law Dec. 31, 2024, officially ending capital punishment in Zimbabwe, Agenzia Fides reported. The measure, passed by the Senate earlier in the month, commutes the sentences of around 60 death row prisoners to life imprisonment.
Bishop Nyandoro urged the government to continue working toward a justice system that prioritizes rehabilitation over retribution, calling for improved prison conditions, reintegration programs for former death row inmates, support for victims’ families, and prevention of extra-judicial killings.
Bishop Nyandoro said, “We recognize that the abolition of the death penalty is not an end in itself, but a means to an end: the promotion of a culture of life, dignity and respect for all people.”
