Senegal scrapped the death penalty for all crimes.

Senegal scrapped the death penalty for all crimes. The Senegalese National Assembly adopted the law abolishing capital punishment and President Abdoulaye Wade would be handed the dossiers on the four people currently on death row with a view to commuting their sentences, said Justice Minister Sergine Diop. 
She argued that in the countries where the death penalty exists, crime figures are no lower.
The death penalty has only been used twice in Senegal. Both instances were during the presidency of the first head of state after independence, Leopold Sedar Senghor (1960-1980).
The Coalition for the abolition of the death penalty hailed the historic vote and called on other African nations to follow suit to end this "cruel, inhumane and degrading punishment".
The London-based Amnesty International echoed that call.
"Senegal should be a source of inspiration for all ECOWAS (west African regional bloc) and other African countries which have not yet abolished the death penalty. Other African states should now follow the example of Senegal and respect the fundamental right to life," Amnesty said. The law scrapping capital punishment was to be presented to Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade and was due to become law before the end of the month, according to the legislative process.