MoJ Urges Media to Lead Liberia’s Death Penalty Abolition Campaign | News

The Ministry of Justice has called on Liberian journalists to take an active role in efforts to abolish the death penalty, urging the media to educate the public, counter misinformation and promote informed national debate on capital punishment.

The call was made by Kutaka Devine Togbah, Director of the Human Rights Division at the Ministry of Justice, who spoke on behalf of Justice Minister and Attorney General Oswald N. Tweh during a media workshop organized by the Civil Society Human Rights Advocacy Platform of Liberia.

Togbah said the death penalty debate extends beyond legal reform, describing it as a fundamental issue of human rights, justice, dignity and the kind of society Liberia wants to become.

“This issue before us is not simply a legal matter,” Togbah said. “It is fundamentally a question of human rights, justice, dignity and the kind of society we want Liberia to be.”

He said Liberia’s history of civil conflict and the breakdown of the rule of law gives the country a particular responsibility to strengthen a justice system that protects human rights and respects the right to life.

Togbah placed the media at the center of efforts to build public understanding of the proposed abolition, stressing that journalists have responsibilities beyond reporting government activities.

“The media is not merely a channel for reporting what government does. You are essential,” he said.

He urged journalists to provide accurate, balanced and accessible information about the proposed reform, particularly because capital punishment remains a sensitive issue capable of generating strong emotions.

According to Togbah, journalists can help explain the proposed legislation, dispel misconceptions and ensure that public discussions are based on facts rather than fear or misinformation.

He encouraged media organizations to use investigative reporting, radio discussions, television programs, digital platforms and community engagements to take the conversation beyond Monrovia.

Togbah also urged journalists to use community radio to encourage citizens to engage lawmakers on the proposed legislation and hold legislators accountable for their positions.

“One key push is to provide information through your community-based radios to encourage the lawmakers to pick up that instrument, to join civil society actors and to ensure that the bill is passed,” he said.

He noted that Liberia’s efforts to abolish capital punishment have continued for years and are linked to the country’s international human rights commitments.

Togbah said Liberia has effectively maintained a de facto moratorium on executions, despite the death penalty remaining in the legal framework.

He recalled that the government introduced amendments in 2022 to remove capital punishment from relevant provisions of Title 36 of the Liberian Code of Laws Revised. The proposed amendments passed the Senate but failed to complete the legislative process in the House of Representatives.

Renewed efforts subsequently led to consultations involving the Law Reform Commission, Liberian National Bar Association, security institutions, women’s groups and civil society organizations.

Togbah said the revised legislation has been validated and submitted for Cabinet review before possible transmission to the Legislature.

He disclosed that the revised bill proposes life imprisonment without parole for offenses currently punishable by death.

“If that bill is passed as was presented to the Minister of Justice, if it is reviewed finally and transmitted to the legislature, it will read that those laws, those actions that were to lead to death as a punishment will all be replaced with life imprisonment without parole,” he said.

Togbah stressed that media advocacy should not undermine critical journalism.

“Advocacy does not mean an undermining of scrutiny or critical journalism,” he said, urging journalists to promote informed debate while continuing to hold institutions accountable.

He called for continued cooperation among government, civil society, the media and citizens to advance abolition.

“Together as government, the media, civil society and the Liberian people, we can all help to advance a justice system that protects life, respects human dignity, upholds the rule of law and reflects Liberia’s commitment to human rights,” Togbah said.