�Hands off the death penalty�
Friday, February 23, 2018
The execution of Joseph Tselayarona over the weekend inevitably set off fresh debate around whether the death penalty is still relevant in modern Botswana. International entities such as the European Union (EU), Amnesty International and the International Federation for Human Rights say Botswana is swimming against the tide by continuing to enforce the death penalty.
On Monday, reacting to Tselayarona’s execution, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) released a hard-hitting condemnation calling Botswana’s laws “cruel and regressive”.
While it is widely acknowledged that Khama holds the title of Kgosi, the government’s failure to properly gazette his recognition has raised serious concerns about adherence to legal procedures and the credibility of traditional leadership. (See a story elsewhere in this newspaper.) Recent court documents by the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Kgotla Autlwetse, shed light on the intricacies of Khama’s recognition process....