Rwanda moves toward abolition

Rwanda's Legislature voted on Friday to abolish the death penalty. It's interesting that countries that have either a) suffered from the worst genocides or b) fallen under fascist leadership later become the first ones to reject capitol punishment (in Europe, for instance, Spain, Italy and Germany rejected the death penalty before France and Great Britain did).

Survivors of the slaughter welcomed the decision, noting that the death
penalty had existed in Rwandan law before the genocide.

"It didn't deter people from picking up machetes to slaughter their fellows - that's why we are not bothered by its removal," said Theodore Simburudali, president of the Ibuka genocide survivors' group.

For more on this very welcome development, go here. (Hat tip to Jason over at Democracy In Action.