Fiji's Chief Justice says the newly elected government will abolish the death penalty from its military code next year.
Anthony Gates told the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva the punishment has indirectly remained in the military code as a legacy of the country's colonial history under the 1955 United Kingdom Army Act.
He says Fiji the death penalty was abolished in relation to all criminal offences in 2001 and no one had been executed since the country's Independence 44 years ago.
"I am pleased to announce today that in the next session of parliament in the new year the military code will be amended as a matter of priority to remove the reference of death penalty altogether."
Anthony Gates.
