Amnesty International Ghana is calling on President Mahama to replace all death row sentences in the country with life imprisonment as part of efforts to abolish the death penalty completely.
The appeal was made during the launch of the Global Death Sentences and Executions Report 2025 here in the capital on Wednesday, 20 May, 2026.
Board Chair of Amnesty International Ghana, Francis Nyantakyi, says Ghana has not carried out executions since 1993 and should now take the final steps towards ending capital punishment completely.
“We are calling on the President to exercise the power of prerogative of mercy to commute all inmates currently on death row to life imprisonment,” he said.
According to Amnesty International Ghana, more than 90 inmates are currently on death row in the country.
The organisation also called on Parliament, the Judiciary, and policymakers to support constitutional reforms to remove the death penalty entirely from Ghana’s laws.
Acting Director of Amnesty International Ghana, Hannah Osei, described the death penalty as “cruel, inhumane and irreversible”.
“The death penalty has no place in any justice system committed to fairness, equality, and human rights,” she said.
According to the report, at least 2,707 executions were recorded globally in 2025; the highest number documented since 1981.
The report also noted that Ghana recorded no executions or death sentences in 2025, maintaining its status as an abolitionist country in practice.
Amnesty International says that although Ghana has made progress by removing the death penalty for ordinary crimes, constitutional reforms are still needed to fully abolish capital punishment in the country.
Report by Clankson Acheampong for Asaase News in Accra
Asaase 99.5 Accra, Asaase 98.5 Kumasi, Asaase 100.3 Cape Coast, AsaasePa 107.3 (Accra)
Affiliates: Bawku FM 101.5, Bead FM 99.9 (Bimbilla), Mining City Radio 89.5 (Tarkwa), Nandom FM 101.9, Nyatefe Radio 94.5 (Dzodze), Sissala Radio 96.3 (Tumu), Somuaa FM 89.9 (Gushegu), Stone City 90.7 (Ho) and Wale FM 106.9 (Walewale)
Listen online: atlanticafricanews.com/, Sound Garden and TuneIn
Follow us:
X: @asaaseradio995, @Asaase985ksi, @asaase1003, asaasepa1073
Instagram: asaaseradio99.5, asaase985ksi, asaase100.3, asaasepa107.3
LinkedIn: company/asaaseradio995. TikTok: @asaaseradio99.5
Facebook: asaase99.5, asaase985ksi, Asaase100.3, AsaasePa107.3
YouTube: AsaaseRadioXtra
Join the conversation. Accra: call 020 000 9951/050 009 0121, WhatsApp 020 000 0995. Kumasi: call 059 415 7985 or call/WhatsApp 020 631 5260. Cape Coast: call/WhatsApp 059 388 2652.
#AsaaseRadio
#AsaasePa
#TheVoiceofOurLand
