Organization Pushes For End To Death Penalty In Muslim Countries

Inter Press Service News Agency reports that the annual conference of the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty was held this past weekend in Casablanca, Morocco. Part of the conference focused on how to abolish the death penalty in Muslim countries that adhere to Sharia law. Some progress has been made. Senegal abolished capital punishment in 2004, and it is expected that Morocco-- which hasn't executed anyone for 13 years-- will abolish capital punishment in the future. Speakers at the conference said that misconceptions about the extent to which Muslim law requires the death penalty will need to be overcome in order to make progress toward abolition. Five of the top nine countries that retain the death penalty are Muslim.