The African Christian Democratic Party voted against...

The African Christian Democratic Party voted against the proposed ratification of the Optional Second Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The protocol states that member states shall not permit executions in their states and that states will take the necessary measures to abolish the death penalty. ACDP Member of Parliament Steve Swart said Tuesday that the protocol would correctly reflect the present applicable law in South Africa, but once Parliament acceded to the protocol, it would be bound by it under international law, even if it later wished to re-visit the issue of death penalty. "The ACDP believes that public opinion overwhelmingly supports the reinstatement of the death penalty, and that it would be short-sighted to ratify this optional protocol at this point in time when South Africans are ravaged by the scourge of crime," he said.