MOUNT HAGEN — 2013 · Murder
Mount Hagen Sorcery-Accusation Killing
On 6 February 2013 in Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea's third-largest city, a 20-year-old woman accused of causing a child's death from illness through sorcery was killed in front of a crowd by the child's relatives; police attempts to intervene failed. The UN human rights office and Amnesty International condemned the killing and urged the government to act. Afterwards, on 28 May 2013, parliament repealed the 1971 Sorcery Act, which had allowed accusations of sorcery to be treated as a mitigating factor. Two people were charged with murder, but years later it was reported that no one had been convicted.
- Date
- 2013
- Place
- Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea, Mount Hagen, PG
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Unsolved
- Coordinates
- -5.8600, 144.2300 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 6 February 2013A young woman was killed in Mount Hagen after a sorcery accusation.
- 8 February 2013The UN condemned the killing and urged government action.
- 28 May 2013Parliament repealed the 1971 Sorcery Act.
- March 2015A judge opened a constitutional inquiry related to the case.
- 2022Nine years on, it was reported that there had been no conviction.
Sources
- UN News — UN urges Papua New Guinea to take action after woman burned for witchcraft news.un.org ↗
- Amnesty International — Papua New Guinea repeals Sorcery Act amnesty.org ↗
- Asia Pacific Report — Still no justice after nine years asiapacificreport.nz ↗
- ABC News — UN decries PNG case of woman burned alive for sorcery abc.net.au ↗
- UN News
- Amnesty International
- ABC News
- Asia Pacific Report
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.