Hangings, although nonetheless legally part of Trinidad and Tobago’s justice system, can’t presently be carried out, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar confirmed on Thursday.
The Prime Minister mentioned the conclusion was primarily based on a authorized report submitted to her by Legal professional Normal John Jeremie, outlining the standing of inmates on demise row and the constraints imposed by current authorized precedents.
Talking throughout a post-Cupboard information convention on the Crimson Home, Persad-Bissessar famous that as of Could 10, 2025, there are 38 inmates on demise row. Of these, solely 18 fall inside the timeline established by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council within the Pratt and Morgan ruling— which units a five-year restrict for executions after sentencing.
“Of those inmates, solely 18 are eligible to be hanged, if we settle for that these 18 have been sentenced to demise and are but underneath the timeline established by Pratt and Morgan ruling underneath the Privy Council,” she mentioned. “So, that’s solely these 18 condemned inmates underneath the five-year timeline… the opposite 20 are over the timeline as they’ve appeals pending.”
Nonetheless, even these 18 can’t presently face execution. “By way of what number of inmates can face the demise penalty or have the demise penalty be carried out at the moment… the reply is none, given the state of the legislation,” Persad-Bissessar said.
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She elaborated that one of many 18 has an attraction earlier than the Privy Council, whereas the remaining 17 have instances pending earlier than the native appellate court docket—particularly, the Chamber of the Supreme Courtroom.
“It may be mentioned subsequently that till these appeals are heard, the demise penalty can’t be lawfully carried out at the moment, even among the many 18,” she added.
Requested whether or not it was doable to fast-track the appeals to stay inside the five-year execution window, the Prime Minister mentioned, “I’ll ask my AG to regulate his thoughts to it. And keep in mind, now we have a complete new justice ministry now… due to delays within the justice system, it’s going to take us a couple of days greater than ten days. We are able to have a look at that answer.”
The final executions in Trinidad and Tobago occurred in 1999. Between June 4 and June 7 of that 12 months, alleged drug kingpin Dole Chadee and eight members of his gang had been hanged for the 1994 murders of the Baboolal household. On July 28, 1999, Anthony Briggs was additionally executed for the homicide of a taxi driver throughout a theft.
Trinidad and Tobago had initially signed the American Conference on Human Rights on Could 26, 1998, however later withdrew from it. The denunciation took impact on Could 26, 1999, making the nation the primary to formally exit the conference. The transfer got here after considerations that the obligatory demise penalty for homicide clashed with the Conference’s human rights requirements.
On the time of withdrawal, the Legal professional Normal was Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, and the Minister of Overseas Affairs was Ralph Maraj—each serving underneath a United Nationwide Congress (UNC)-led administration.
