Accra: Human rights group, Amnesty International Ghana, has called on President John Dramani Mahama to convert all death sentences in Ghana to life imprisonment and initiate steps to abolish the death penalty. This appeal was made during the launch of the Global Death Sentences and Executions Report 2025 on May 20, 2026.
According to Ghana Web, Board Chair Francis Nyantakyi emphasized that the death penalty violates fundamental human rights and undermines human dignity. He described capital punishment as irreversible, inhumane, and prone to judicial error. Nyantakyi stated, "It violates the right to life and has no place in a justice system rooted in human rights and human dignity. The death penalty is flawed. It is irreversible, and no justice system is immune to error."
The organization urged President Mahama to commute existing death sentences to life imprisonment and to work towards ending the death penalty in Ghana. Nyantakyi pointed out that the increasing number of countries abolishing the death penalty demonstrates that change is possible through political will, legal reform, public advocacy, and sustained international pressure. "The fight against the death penalty is not only about changing laws but also about affirming the value of every human life," he added.
The report highlighted a global rise in executions despite the growing number of countries abolishing the death penalty. It noted that 2,707 people were executed across 17 countries in 2025, marking the highest number of recorded executions globally since 1981. Amnesty International Ghana also cautioned that wrongful convictions, unfair trials, and the irreversible nature of executions pose a significant human rights concern.