SW News: Salva Kiir Mayardit, the president of South Sudan, pardoned 36 people on death row and 35 people who had not paid fines or compensation in a proclamation broadcast on the state-run South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation. He gave the order and directed the prison staff to carry it out.
The head of state did not explain the pardon, but it comes after he met with Pope Francis, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland Rev. Iain Greenshields earlier in the day at the beginning of their Ecumenical Pilgrimage of Peace in South Sudan.
The three religious heads had appealed to the political leaders they met with in Juba on Friday to continue down the path of peace and reconciliation and to make efforts to give their people hope for a future where human rights are protected by the rule of law and the implementation of the law.
After over 50 years of nonstop civil war, South Sudan became independent from the Republic of Sudan on July 9, 2011.
There were 150 people on death row in South Sudan's first year of independence in 2011, which saw five executions. With more than 300 people on death row, at least 7 executions took place in 2018, the most recent year for which statistics were available.
In South Sudan, the death sentence is an acceptable punishment. It is governed by the South Sudanese Penal Code Act and permits the execution of people who have been found guilty of a variety of offenses, such as murder and terrorism. Both civilian and military tribunals have the authority to impose the sentences. At least 140 people have been executed between 2011 and 2018, while hundreds more are on death row waiting to be sentenced. However, exact statistics are still unknown due to a lack of reporting within the nation. International human rights organizations and multinational organizations have criticized the government for applying the death penalty to minors.
In South Sudan, executions are normally conducted in one of two prisons: Wau Central Prison, which is situated in the country's northwest Bahr el Ghazal region, or Juba Central Prison, which is close to the capital city. Although the firing squad is also known to have been utilized, hanging is the official mode of execution. Organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have criticized South Sudan for applying the death penalty to minors in violation of the country's constitution.