Equatorial Guinea abolishes the death penalty

Equatorial Guinea has moved to abolish the death penalty, state television reported Monday, citing a law signed by Teodoro Obiang Ngema Basogo, the president of the small oil-producing central African state, which is among the most closed and authoritarian in the world.

“The death penalty is completely abolished in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea,” the law establishing a new penal code states. It was signed by the head of state and uploaded by the vice president — and son of the president — on his Twitter account.

The last execution of a death row inmate in the former Spanish colony officially took place in 2014, at least according to Amnesty International. But the regime of Teodoro Obiang, who seized power in a 1979 coup, is often accused by international NGOs of enforced disappearances, arbitrary imprisonment and torture.

Mr Obiang, 80, holds the world record for the longest stay in power — more than 43 years — excluding only monarchies.

“I capitalize this to seal this unique moment: EQUATORIAL GUINEA ABOLISHED THE DEATH PENALTY,” Teodoro Ngema Obiang Mange, known by the nickname Teodorin, one of the politically omnipresent head of state’s sons, tweeted scene for the past two years, projected as the president’s dolphin.

Having previously been adopted by parliament, the new law will enter into force “within 90 days of its publication in the official Government Gazette”, the text states. A development that was described as “historic for our country” by a state television presenter in an epigrammatic presentation of the news at the end of the news bulletin.

RES-EMP

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