IPS Africa with Death Penalty Abolitionist in Uganda. The trap doors of the gallows

The quality of mercy is not strained, but falleth as the gentle rain from heaven

I know that last picture is disturbing. But if you’ve ever stood outside the courthouse or sat in your easy chair and called for a stranger’s death, you have to fucking look.

Life is subversive. AGAINST EXECUTIONERS

Edmary Mpagi and his cousin Fred Masembe were convicted by a Ugandan court and sentenced to death for the murder of a man who was later found alive.

Masembe died in prison before he could face the gallows while Mpagi spent 18 years waiting to be executed by the state. Mpagi said his conviction was based on fabricated evidence by the state. He claims a pathologist was bribed to falsely testify that he had carried out a post-mortem on the body of William George Wandyaka, the man Mpagi and Masembe were accused of murdering. Mpagi was released from prison in July 2000 after receiving a presidential pardon. He spends much of his time campaigning against the death penalty.

 

Excerpts of the interview follow.