The UN Human Rights Office has welcomed a Papua New Guinea bid to repeal the sorcery act.
PNG's Constitutional Law Reform Commission has held nationwide consultations to review the sorcery law and concluded that it contributes to the problem.
The Office's representative in the Pacific, Matilda Bogner, says the Sorcery Act can be used to undermine the criminal justice system, unduly complicating investigation and prosecution of criminal acts such as murder, assault or rape.
She says her Office has consistently urged the PNG government to take action to protect the population from sorcery-related attacks.
