Reprieve welcomes comprehensive death penalty ban

19 November 2009

Reprieve Australia has applauded the introduction today of legislation that will ensure the death penalty cannot be introduced anywhere in Australia.

Reprieve's President, Ben Kiely, said "Through this law, we will protect Australian justice from a barbarous practice, and hopefully recover our once-proud reputation as an abolitionist nation that opposes the death penalty without hesitation in all circumstances, wherever it is imposed, for whatever reason."
 
Reprieve calls on the Federal Parliament to quickly pass the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Torture Prohibition and Death Penalty Abolition) Bill 2009.  This important Bill amends the Commonwealth's Death Penalty Abolition Act 1973 to extend the application of the current prohibition on the death penalty to State laws, to ensure the death penalty cannot be introduced anywhere in Australia. According to the Attorney-General, the Bill was developed in consultation with the States and Territories.
 
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Media contact: Brigid Delaney 0421 955 972

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