13 Oct 2014

PNG rules out lethal injection in hunt for execution method

7:56 am on 13 October 2014

Papua New Guinea's government has ruled out lethal injection as it continues to determine how to apply the death penalty.

While the death penalty has never been outlawed in PNG, the government controversially revived it for violent crimes last year after a string of sorcery-related murders.

The Secretary for Justice and the Attorney General, Lawrence Kalinoe, told a gathering in Southern Highlands that lethal injection had been dropped as an option because of restrictions placed on accessing the drugs needed by the manufacturer.

Mr Kalinoe says a comprehensive report has been submitted to cabinet for it to choose from the remaining options: hanging, electrocution, deprivation of oxygen or firing squad.

The Post Courier reports 13 people are currently on death row in PNG.