Corpun file 14020

The Guardian, Dar es Salaam, 19 August 2004

Isles to abolish corporal punishment

By Guardian Correspondent, Zanzibar

The Zanzibar government has proposed to abolish caning as a punishment meted out in the courts of law, saying it is an abuse of human rights.

Attorney General Idd Pandu Hassan told reporters yesterday that his office was working on some changes that aims to delete corporal punishment, adding that the amendments would probably be tabled in the House of Representatives in October.

Caning contravenes the 1984 Zanzibar Constitution, he said, adding "We are determined to scrap off this law because it contravenes the principles of human rights as provided for in our Constitution."

The government conducted a survey and collected views from people and organisations. Many were opposed to the punishment, he said.

Many countries have abolished the punishment, after realizing that it contradicts the people's basic rights, the Attorney General said.

On the death penalty, Pandu said the current laws would not be repealed although some countries have abolished it.

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