Former Mongolian president Tsakhia Elbegdorj has encouraged members of Parliament (MPs) and the Executive in the country to support the abolishment of the death penalty, both in law and practice.

Speaking in Lilongwe on Tuesday during an interaction with ministers and MPs, he said he is a living example of a president who made a decision to abolish the death sentence.

Elbegdorj said while diverse views on the matter may be prevalent, leaders ought to make a decision on behalf of the people based on the knowledge they have.

He said: “You are leaders and you must make decisions. I was a president who was heavily criticised for so many things but I am happy that after I left office everyone remembers me as someone who made an important decision, even those who never agreed with me at first.”

He argued that the death sentence does not solve the problem as some convicts are a product of misjudgements and therefore end up suffering death for no good reason.

“There will always be opposing views. What is good is that Malawi has the political will.

“So far, out of 193 countries in the world 141 have abolished the death sentence. This, therefore, is enough justification why leaders must make a decision,” said the former president-turned global activist, who is also a commissioner for International Commission Against the Death Penalty.

On his part, Parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee chairperson Peter Dimba, whose committee made similar recommendations to the House during the last meeting, said this conversation has come at the right time.

Besides Cabinet ministers, Speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani Hara also attended the discussion which was moderated by Leader of the House Richard Chimwendo Banda, who is also Minister of Youth and Sports.

The meeting was organised by Reprieve, an organisation which advocates for the abolition of the death penalty and any other form of torture.

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