Amnesty International outraged over PNG's plans to apply death penalty

HUMAN rights watchdog Amnesty International has slammed the Papua New Guinea government's plan to apply the death penalty.

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill on Wednesday laid down a mid-May deadline for a series of laws toughening sentences for violent crimes, such as murder and rape, to be debated in parliament.

The government has seized on a series of brutal murders and rapes across the country to justify applying the death penalty, which has not been used in the Pacific Island nation since 1954.

"In essence it's state-sanctioned violence," Amnesty International spokeswoman Kate Schuetze told Radio Australia.

"Is this a deterrent to these people? It isn't, because it doesn't address the underlying causes, it doesn't address the fear that is prevailing about sorcery itself."

Belief in sorcery is widespread in PNG and has taken on the form of horrific public show-trials where the accused, usually women, are murdered following hours of torture.

In early February, the murder of 20-year-old mother of one Kepari Leniata - who was stripped, tortured and burned alive on the outskirts of Mt Hagen - attracted international attention.

In that murder, and in the beheading murder of former teacher Helen Rumbali in Bougainville two months later, PNG's police force was incapable of helping despite witnessing the lead-up to the murder.

"The problem with the violence we're seeing in Papua New Guinea is, time and time again the police are failing to intervene," Ms Schuetze said.

"They do not have the resources, or the proper judicial process is not carried through right to the end."

In the murder of Rumbali, and the kidnapping and torture of her sister Nikono and Nikono's two teenage daughters, a lone police officer was left to negotiate for the women's release.

PNG's former attorney-general, Sir Arnold Amet, also publicly opposed the application of the death penalty and called for more education to stamp out belief in sorcery.

The death penalty is part of PNG law, although it has not been carried out since 1954, when PNG was a colonial territory of Australia.

The government said this week it was considering instituting death by firing squad as a more humane method than the legally prescribed death by hanging.

The legal package to be presented before PNG's single house of parliament in mid-May also includes lifting the penalty for rape to life without parole.

Shortly after the murder of Ms Rumbali, Australian Robert Purdy was murdered in the Western Highlands and his Filipina friend was gang raped.

In a separate attack shortly after, an American academic was also gang raped, and her boyfriend and a guide tied up and beaten.

Mr O'Neill's legal package also includes a minimum 10-year sentence for drug possession and tougher penalties for home-brewed alcohol.

Liquor licensing laws will be taken out of the hands of the provincial government and handed to the national government.

There will also be shorter trading times for liquor retailers.