Last Updated: Monday, 17 October 2022, 12:22 GMT

Papua New Guinea: Sorcery killings trial is a chance for justice

Publisher Amnesty International
Publication Date 23 March 2017
Cite as Amnesty International, Papua New Guinea: Sorcery killings trial is a chance for justice, 23 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58d4ebe64.html [accessed 24 October 2022]
DisclaimerThis is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Responding to the trial in Papua New Guinea of 122 people charged with more than seven killings in 2014 of people accused of sorcery, Champa Patel, Amnesty International said:

"For far too long, the killings of women accused of sorcery in Papua New Guinea have gone unpunished. They have often faced beatings, burnings and even public executions as the authorities have failed to act. This new trial is a chance to break with that tradition of impunity, if they are given fair trials without recourse to the death penalty."

Background

PNG still has the death penalty for murder and rape but has not executed in over 60 years. Recently they have started talking about using this to address violent crime.

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