Gabon to scrap death penalty

2007-09-14 12:22

Libreville - Gabon on Friday became the latest country to move towards scrapping the death penalty ahead of a resolution on a global moratorium to be put before the United Nations General Assembly.

Gabon's cabinet said it decided to scrap the death penalty after noting that no executions had been carried out in the west African country for more than 20 years, and after a request from President Omar bongo Ondimba.

It said that at the urging of the Spanish and French governments and the European Union, Gabon would co-sponsor a resolution on a global moratorium on executions to be introduced at the UN General Assembly later this month.

- AFP