By A Correspondent- There is concern that a provision under the amended Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, also known as the Patriot Act, seeks to re-introduce the death penalty through the backdoor at a time when human rights defenders are pushing for its removal from the country’s statutes.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed into law the Patriot Act in July this year, despite widespread condemnation of the draconian law.

Legislative watchdog, Veritas and Amnesty International  (AI) voiced their concerns over the law during yesterday’s International Death Penalty Day commemorations in the capital.

The day is commemorated annually on October 10.

Zimbabwe is part of the 87 countries that have not abolished the death penalty.

Veritas director, Val Ingham-Thorpe said the death penalty must be removed from the country’s statutes.

“Death penalty and the Patriot Bill are completely unconstitutional. This is against the Constitution, it’s inhuman and we are going to challenge that in court,” Ingham-Thorpe said.

“In this country, we really have strange provisions.”-Newsday