(20) Although States may face particular practical challenges in achieving accountability in situations of armed conflict, they must undertake all feasible measures of accountability to ensure respect for the right to life. Appeals to national security or State secrecy can never be a valid basis for failing to meet the obligation to hold those responsible for arbitrary deprivations of life to account, including during armed conflict or counterterrorism operations. (21) Transparency is a necessary part of accountability. Transparency about laws, policies, practices and the circumstances of any limitations of the right to life as well as about the process and outcomes of investigations is a necessary element in fulfilling the right to life. D. The abolition of the death penalty (22) The African Charter does not include any provision recognising the death penalty, even in limited circumstances, and the Commission has on several occasions passed resolutions calling on States to abolish the death penalty, or to establish a moratorium in line with the continental and global trend. The vast majority of African States have now abolished the death penalty in law or in practice. International law requires those States that have not yet abolished the death penalty to take steps towards its abolition in order to secure the rights to life and to dignity, in addition to other rights such as the right to be free from torture, and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. (23) Those States which have abolished the death penalty in law shall not reintroduce it, nor facilitate executions in retentionist States through refoulement, extradition, deportation, or other means including the provision of support or assistance that could lead to a death sentence. Those States with moratoria on the death penalty must take steps to formalise abolition in law, allowing no further executions. Beyond the cessation of executions, a comprehensive moratorium on the death penalty would also encompass sentencing, whereby prosecutors would refrain from seeking the death penalty or judges would choose not to impose it. 12