“When the whole world is trying hard to save lives from COVID-19, an execution by the state is  contradictory and perverse” said Kevin Miguel Rivera Medina, President of the World Coalition  Against the Death Penalty. 

In a statement released today, ADPAN and the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty call on  all countries that still use the death penalty to impose a moratorium on death sentences and  executions on the ground that fair trials and fair legal representation are impossible to maintain  during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“While some countries now sentence people to death by videoconference, as in Nigeria or  Singapore, in others the prison restrictions have seriously infringed the rights of those awaiting  execution because courts are stalled and law firms are closed. Options to help people whose lives  are at risk are decreasing.” 

“The current global health crisis has demonstrated how profoundly unfair the system has been on  people already weakened by their heavy sentence. A lack of visits to people on death row and the  inability for lawyers and judges to work normally are all unfair consequences of an ill-equipped  system.” By comparison, those countries that have had the courage during this time to take a step,  big or small, towards abolition shows that our world is made better without this archaic, cruel and  degrading practice of capital punishment. For example, Cameroon, Kenya, Morocco and Zimbabwe  have granted commutations, which also extended to those sentenced to death.  

This 10 October, civil society will mobilize to celebrate the 18th World Day Against the Death  Penalty, which will focus on the right to legal representation and highlight the role of lawyers in  protecting those facing the death penalty. A right that is fractured by the health crisis since lawyers  are less able to assist their clients and who are also economically weakened.