Kenya Commutes Sentences of Over 2,700 Death Row Inmates

Nairobi: Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday commuted the sentences of 2,747 death row inmates, who will now serve life in prison.

Kenyatta signed documents commuting the sentences during a ceremony at his official residence and also pardoned 102 convicts who were serving long jail terms.

Amnesty International welcomed the move, and urged Kenya to officially abolish the death sentence. Kenya has not carried out an execution since 1987

"The decision to commute death sentences brings Kenya closer to the growing community of nations that have abolished this cruel and inhuman form of punishment," said Muthoni Wanyeki, the rights group's regional director.

In 2009, former president Mwai Kibaki commuted sentences of more than 4,000 prisoners on death row to life imprisonment.