Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) welcomes the ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) by the Parliament of Togo on 10 July, 2015.

The Second Optional Protocol is the only universal international instrument designed to abolish the death penalty by forbidding executions and providing mechanisms to ensure that the death penalty is ultimately outlawed worldwide. Since 2009, Togo abolished the death penalty through the revision of its criminal code and became an ‘abolitionist’ country. The last execution dates back to 1978.

Following its commitments at the Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council in 2011 to ratify the Second Optional Protocol, the Council of Ministers of Togo adopted on 21 January 2015 a draft ratification bill. Thanks to the leadership of PGA Members in Togo, in particular Hon. Jean-Joel Kissi and Hon. Derman Assouma, respectively Chairs of the Cooperation and Foreign Affairs and Human Rights Committees, the bill was included as a priority item of the Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly in July 2015 and was timely adopted on 10 July 2015. In collaboration with the World Coalition against the Death Penalty, PGA Members in Togo promoted the ratification of the Second Optional Protocol within the National Assembly, highlighting its strong symbolic value aimed at definitely completing the abolition process in Togo. Indeed, as no withdrawals are allowed under the Second Optional Protocol, the process is made irreversible, entrenching abolition in Togo in spite of any future political changes.

This ratification brings the number of ratifying States to 82. PGA therefore calls upon any country that has not yet done so to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR, joining thereby the community of States that reject the death penalty, considered as a cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

PGA Members worldwide will continue to promote the abolition of the death penalty, including through the ratification of this important instrument. This is the first ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to which PGA has contributed since the launch of the Campaign for the Abolition of the Death Penalty in 2014, which supports, enhances and maximizes the impact of the individual initiatives of parliamentarians worldwide on the abolition of the death penalty, as well as coordinates targeted campaigns in selected countries to ensure concrete advancement of the abolition processes.

This important development for Togo is the culmination of the work of Togolese Parliamentarians, in particular PGA Members, who have recognized the significance of abolition of the death penalty as a measure to enhance human rights. The death penalty is indeed a violation of human rights, in particular the right to life, which underpins all of the others. Thus, by ratifying the Second Optional Protocol, Togo has shown its commitments to human dignity and human rights, and has brought the abolition of the death penalty in the country and worldwide one step further.” Hon. Jean-Joel Kissi, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, National Assembly of Togo Member of PGA

The universality of the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR is vital to ensure that the death penalty is durably and definitely abolished worldwide. We are proud to be the first country of West Africa to have abolished the death penalty by law and to have ratified the Second Optional Protocol. We hope this could set up an example for other countries in the region and around the world so that we can altogether affirm strongly that maintaining the death penalty nowadays is no more acceptable.” Hon. Derman Assouma, Chair of the Human Rights Committee, National Assembly of Togo Member of PGA