HR Group Applauds Corporal Punishment Decision (Bahamas)

[struggle4progress]

Source: Bahamas News Online Edition

December 10th, 2008
HR Group Applauds Corporal Punishment Decision
By Kendea Jones

... Mr. Barnes, of Amnesty International Bahamas, said on Tuesday the organization is pleased that the government intends to repeal corporal punishment during the next legislative session.

Attorney General Senator Michael Barnett made the announcement last week while at the 3rd Session of the Working Group on the UN Human Right's Council's Universal Periodic Review in Geneva, Switzerland.

"We were very pleased to hear that," Mr. Barnes said. "Corporal punishment is considered torture in most cases and it would not be allowed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, or technically The Bahamas constitution, which is why I am assuming they are repealing it."

While the last execution in The Bahamas took place in January 2000, death sentences continue to be handed down by the courts ...

Read more: http://www.jonesbahamas.com/news/45/ARTICLE/18858/2008-12-10.html