By: Wilmot Konah
Monrovia, Liberia: The Liberia Coalition of Human Rights Defenders (LICHRD), a consortium of human rights activists and institutions in Liberia, is urging the Government of Liberia to take a bold step toward abolishing capital punishment from the Penal Code, although the practice is no longer carried out in the country.
It can be recalled that in 2022, the Liberian Senate passed a bill calling for the removal of capital or death penalty from the country’s Penal Laws, specifically Title 26, Chapters 11, 14, 15, and 50, as amended by a 2008 Act. The bill is currently stalled in the House of Representatives, with reports that the government is working to resubmit a revised version to the Legislature.
Delivering the position statement of LICHRD on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, during the program marking the 27th anniversary of the International Day of Human Rights Defenders, held under the global theme “Our Everyday Essentials”—LICHRD Chairman Neidoteh B. Torbor underscored the importance of amending the Penal Code to align with international commitments. He noted that Liberia signed the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR in 2005, which calls for the abolition of the death penalty, but has yet to fully ratify and domesticate it.
Torbor emphasized that the death penalty violates the fundamental right to life, stating that the ultimate goal is to bring Liberia’s laws in line with its international human rights obligations.
“We want to call on the Government of Liberia to fast-track the ratification process of the Penal Law, to completely remove the death penalty, although it is no longer practiced in our country,” he stressed.
The European Union Delegation in Liberia, a major development partner, also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Liberia in strengthening its democratic governance and human rights frameworks.
For his part, Mr. Christian Mukosa, Country Representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, encouraged human rights defenders to remain steadfast in their advocacy despite challenges.
“Human rights work requires courage, determination, and consistency,” Mukosa said. “I urge all human rights defenders across Liberia to continue standing firm, speaking out, and protecting the dignity and rights of every individual, no matter the circumstance.”
Liberia’s progress in fully abolishing capital punishment and advancing human rights protections would significantly enhance the country’s standing on the international stage, placing it ahead of many counterparts in the subregion.
