Amnesty International, AI, has condemned the execution of three death row prisoners by the Edo State government on December 23, 2016.
” We urge the Nigerian government, including all states in the federation, to return to a moratorium on executions, with a view of abolishing the death penalty”.
“The latest executions in Edo state is a backward step in the global trend towards abolition of the death penalty and is inconsistent with Nigeria’s international human rights commitments.
“Stopping executions and doing away with the death penalty does not mean that criminals go unpunished. It is essential that human rights standards, including allowing for full appeals to complete, are respected in all stages of the criminal justice process. All punishments must be compatible with human rights.”