Death Penalty And The Right To Life: A Critical Analysis

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION .......................................................................................................... i

APPROVAL ................................................................................................................. ii

DEDICATION ............................................................................................................ iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ......................................................................................... iv

TABLE OF CONTENT .............................................................................................. v

LIST OF INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS .................................................... vii

LIST OF CASES ....................................................................................................... viii

CHAPTER ONE .......................................................................................................... 1

1.0INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1

l.l.BACKGROUND OF DEATH PENALTY .......................................................... 3

1.2.STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ................................................................... 4

1.3.0BJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ......................................................................... 5

1.4.HYPOTHESIS, ................................................................................................. 5

1.5.SCOPE OF THE STUDY ..................................................................................... 5

1.6.IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY ....................................................................... 5

1. 7.METHODOLOGY: ........................................................................................... 6

CHAPTER TWO ......................................................................................................... 7

LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................... 7

2.0. Death penalty in Uganda ..................................................................................... 7

2.2 International views on the death penalty .......................................................... 17

CHAPTER THREE ................................................................................................... 19

3.0 ARGUMENT FOR AND AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY .................... 19

3.1 REASON AGAINST ABOLITION DEATH PENALTY IN UGANDA ........ 19

3.1.1 The deterrence theory ...................................................................................... 19

3.1.2 The death penalty is a harsh punishment, but it is not harsh on crime ...... 21

3.1.3 The retribution justice theory ......................................................................... 23

3.1.4. The Prevention theory ..................................................................................... 25

3.1.5. The Populist theory ......................................................................................... 26

3.1.6 Democracy ......................................................................................................... 27

3.1. 7 Threat of International Terrorism .................................................................. 28

3.2. Reasons for abolition of the death penalty ....................................................... 28

3.2.1 Justice system is not fallible ............................................................................. 29

3.2.2 Death penalty is Barbaric ................................................................................ 31

3.2.3 Violation of Human Rights .............................................................................. 34

3.2.4 A tool of repression: ......................................................................................... 35

3.2.5. It is Unconstitutional. ...................................................................................... 36

3.2.6 Inequality ........................................................................................................... 37

CHAPTER FOUR ..................................................................................................... 39

4.0. IMPORTANT LAWS ON DEATH PENALTY .............................................. 39

4.1. International law ................................................................................................. 39

4.1.1 Constitutional law: ........................................................................................... 45

4.1.2 Criminal law; .................................................................................................... 47

4.1.3 Martial law ........................................................................................................ 48

4.1.4 Sharia law .......................................................................................................... 49

4.1.5 The Death Penalty and the Right to life ......................................................... 49

v

4.1.6 The Prohibition against torture, cruel, degrading and inhuman form of

punishment ................................................................................................................. 52

CHAPTER FIVE ....................................................................................................... 59

5.0 RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION ............................................... 59

5.1. RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................... 59

5.2 The challenges ...................................................................................................... 59

5.3 Education .............................................................................................................. 60

5.3.1 Moratorium and partial abolition ................................................................... 60

5.3.2 Reduction of capital offences ........................................................................... 61

5.3.3 Mandatory death penalty: ............................................................................... 62

5.3.4 Constitutional litigation ................................................................................... 64

5.3.5 A need for practical right of appeal. ............................................................... 65

5.3.6 Addressing the socio-economic factors ........................................................... 66

5.3. 7 Alternative of life imprisonment. .................................................................... 66

5.4. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................... 67

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................................................................................... 69