the Government of Belize has presented

the Government of Belize has presented, before the House of Representatives, the 8^th Constitutional Amendment Bill a Bill. It contains a raft of constitutional amendments designed to eliminate future legal challenges to the implementation of the death penalty. Of particular concern are the proposed amendments to Section 7 of the Constitution, which prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
These amendments in short seek to immunise the imposition and carrying out of a death sentence from ever being found to be unconstitutional by the courts, regardless of extensive delay on death row, inadequate prison conditions, or the proposed method of execution.
These moves are in direct contravention of Belize’s international human rights commitments and obligations. Belize has not yet ratified the American Convention on Human Rights, but has ratified the Charter of the Organization of American States and as such is a party to the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man. In addition, Belize has ratified the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Convention Against Torture.
As such, these amendments would have the effect of reversing established and important human rights case law concerning the application of the death penalty. They also appear to pave the way for the possible re-introduction of the mandatory death penalty by removing existing constitutional protections. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has previously found mandatory death penalty regimes to be in breach of both the American Convention on Human Rights and the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man.
The Government currently has an overwhelming majority in Parliament and this is now a matter of urgent regional and international concern.