Public against introduction of death penalty in Kiribati

Transcript

The head of a commission set up to consult the public on introducing the death penalty in Kiribati says the overwhelming majority are against it.

The President Anote Tong is supporting an amendment to the penal code to adopt the death penalty in response to the recent killings of five women allegedly at the hands of their partner or husband.

After the successful first reading of the Death Penalty Bill in September the President set up a Commission of Inquiry, chaired by Catholic Bishop Paul Mea to spearhead public consultation.

Members of the Penal Code Commission visited several islands and Bishop Paul Mea told Bridget Tunnicliffe the message was clear.

PAUL MEA: If I may put it in the percentage, maybe 99.5 percent against.

BRIDGET TUNNICLIFFE: Have they expressed other thoughts about the justice system?

PM: Yes, they want to improve the management of those who commit murder to be more, you know to
feel their guilt by being put in like a maximum security, so that they can feel the seriousness of what they have done. But now they are put together with other prisoners, and they have a good time in prison, they have three meals a day, they can make business, make fishing nets and others and they get a lot of money from what they do in prison.

BT: So a lot of people would like to see then a specific wing or a prison built specifically for serious offenders?

PM: Yes, they want to have more punishment you know, better security in prison, to put them separate from other prisoners, maybe in the maximum security. That they will stay in their room most of the time, maybe certain hours being put out and they will be given hard to work to do and also to have not so much food.

BT: And what about the length of sentences, the time that offenders spend in prison.

PM: In fact the president can use his power to let them out especially during independence so in fact there is nobody who have been staying in prison all his life. They stay a few years or some years and then they are let out by the president.

BT: So people who commit murder for instance, the public would like to see those people stay in for what, their whole life? Life in prison.

PM: That's more or less [the case] until they cannot walk anymore and they can be out [released] then to be looked after by their own families.

BT: So Monday I believe that the report will be presented to parliament so do you therefore think it's highly unlikely that we will see the death penalty brought in, given those feelings from the public.

PM: Well if the process is democratic I think the government should listen to the views of the people who are against capital punishment. And if not then I wonder what kind of government we have.