UN Expert Applauds Côte d'Ivoire's Ratification of Protocol to Abolish Death Penalty

“Côte d'Ivoire offers the entire world an example to follow in the fight to eradicate the death penalty,” Tidball-Binz remarked.

A UN human rights expert has praised Côte d'Ivoire's recent ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, marking a definitive move towards abolishing the death penalty in the country.

Morris Tidball-Binz, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, welcomed the Ivorian National Assembly's unanimous vote in June 2023 and the formal deposit of ratification instruments on May 3, 2024. This action reflects a strong political commitment to ending capital punishment and enhancing protections for the right to life and physical integrity.

“Côte d'Ivoire offers the entire world an example to follow in the fight to eradicate the death penalty,” Tidball-Binz remarked.

The protocol will take effect on August 3, 2024, making Côte d'Ivoire the 91st State party and the 17th African nation to commit to this measure. Historically, Côte d'Ivoire has been a leader in abolitionist efforts, maintaining a de facto moratorium on the death penalty since its independence in 1960. The country's dedication was further solidified with constitutional abolition in 2000, followed by amendments to the Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure in 2015, which replaced capital punishment with life imprisonment. The 2016 Constitution also reinforced this stance by declaring the right to life as inviolable and abolishing the death penalty.

Tidball-Binz commended Côte d'Ivoire for advancing global efforts towards the universal abolition of the death penalty, an act he views as fundamental to upholding human dignity. “Côte d'Ivoire is bringing us a little closer to the universal abolition of this irreversible punishment,” he stated.

He expressed enthusiasm for the progress within Africa, noting that only nine out of 54 African countries still apply the death penalty. The Special Rapporteur affirmed his readiness to assist Côte d'Ivoire and other African nations in enhancing the right to life and implementing international standards in investigating potential unlawful deaths and ensuring justice for arbitrary deprivations of life.