Zimbabwe Grants Clemency to Over 4,000 Prisoners on Independence Day

Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa granted clemency to over 4,000 prisoners, including some on death row, as part of an independence day amnesty on Thursday. The amnesty coincided with the country's 44th anniversary of independence from white minority rule.

The presidential pardon benefits female, older, and juvenile inmates, as well as the terminally ill and those who had their death sentences commuted to life terms in previous clemency orders or through court appeals. All female prisoners who had served at least a third of their sentence, juvenile inmates who had served the same period, and prisoners aged 60 and older who had served one-tenth of their sentences were released. However, those jailed for specified offenses such as sexual offenses, robbery, and theft of infrastructure were excluded from the amnesty.

Zimbabwe has over 60 inmates on death row, and Mnangagwa's amnesty commuted the sentences of those who had been on death row for at least 10 years to life in prison. The country's last execution was in 2005, and Mnangagwa has expressed support for abolishing the death penalty, a move backed by the Cabinet and awaiting parliamentary approval.

Why this matters: The amnesty is part of Mnangagwa's efforts to decongest Zimbabwe's overcrowded prisons, where conditions are usually harsh. It also reflects the government's stance on the death penalty and its commitment to reforming the criminal justice system.

This is the second major prisoner release by Mnangagwa in less than a year. In 2023, he granted amnesty to 4,270 inmates. The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Meya Khanyezi, urged the beneficiaries to use their freedom to transform their lives and become productive members of society. According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, the total prison population in the 3rd Quarter of 2023 was 21,619, with males constituting 97.1% and females 2.9% of the population.

Key Takeaways

• Zimbabwe's president granted clemency to over 4,000 prisoners, including death row inmates.
• Amnesty benefits female, older, and juvenile inmates, as well as the terminally ill.
• Zimbabwe has over 60 inmates on death row, with sentences commuted to life in prison.
• Amnesty aims to decongest overcrowded prisons and reflects the government's stance on death penalty.
• This is the second major prisoner release by the president in less than a year.