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12. Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty

New York, 15 December 1989

 

Entry into force: 11 July 1991, in accordance with article 8 (1).
Registration: 11 July 1991, No. 14668.
Status: Signatories: 24 ,Parties: 41.
Text: Doc. A-RES-44-128. 

Note: The said Protocol, of which the Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish texts are equally authentic, was adopted by resolution 44-1281 of 15 December 1989 at the Forty-fourth session of the General Assembly of the United Nations and is open for signature at the United Nations Headquarters in New York by all States having signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

 

 

PARTICIPANTS

Participant  Signature  Ratification, Accession (a) 
Australia    2 Oct 1990 a 
Austria  8 Apr 1991  2 Mar 1993 
Azerbaijan    22 Jan 1999 a 
Belgium  12 Jul 1990  8 Dec 1998 
Bulgaria  11 Mar 1999  10 Aug 1999 
Colombia    5 Aug 1997 a 
Costa Rica  14 Feb 1990  5 Jun 1998 
Croatia    12 Oct 1995 a 
Cyprus    10 Sep 1999 a 
Denmark  13 Feb 1990  24 Feb 1994 
Ecuador    23 Feb 1993 a 
Finland  13 Feb 1990  4 Apr 1991 
Georgia    22 Mar 1999 a 
Germany2  13 Feb 1990  18 Aug 1992 
Greece    5 May 1997 a 
Honduras  10 May 1990   
Hungary    24 Feb 1994 a 
Iceland  30 Jan 1991  2 Apr 1991 
Ireland    18 Jun 1993 a 
Italy  13 Feb 1990  14 Feb 1995 
Liechtenstein    10 Dec 1998 a 
Luxembourg  13 Feb 1990  12 Feb 1992 
Malta    29 Dec 1994 a 
Mozambique    21 Jul 1993 a 
Namibia    28 Nov 1994 a 
Nepal    4 Mar 1998 a 
Netherlands3  9 Aug 1990  26 Mar 1991 
New Zealand  22 Feb 1990  22 Feb 1990 
Nicaragua  21 Feb 1990   
Norway  13 Feb 1990  5 Sep 1991 
Panama    21 Jan 1993 a 
Portugal  13 Feb 1990  17 Oct 1990 
Romania  15 Mar 1990  27 Feb 1991 
Seychelles    15 Dec 1994 a 
Slovakia  22 Sep 1998  22 Jun 1999 
Slovenia  14 Sep 1993  10 Mar 1994 
Spain4  23 Feb 1990  11 Apr 1991 
Sweden  13 Feb 1990  11 May 1990 
Switzerland    16 Jun 1994 a 
the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia    26 Jan 1995 a 
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland5  31 Mar 1999  10 Dec 1999 
Uruguay  13 Feb 1990  21 Jan 1993 
Venezuela  7 Jun 1990  22 Feb 1993 
 

 

DECLARATIONS

Declarations and Reservations

(Unless otherwise indicated, the declarations and reservations were made

upon ratification or accession.)

Azerbaijan

Reservation:

"The Republic of Azerbaijan, adopting the [said Protocol], in exceptional cases, adopting the special law, allows the application of death penalty for the grave crimes, committed during the war or in condition of the threat of war."

Cyprus

Reservation:

"The Republic of Cyprus in accordance with article 2.1 of the [...] Protocol reserves the right to apply the Death Penalty in time of war pursuant to a conviction of a most serious crime of a military nature committed during wartime."

Greece

Reservation:

Subject to article 2 for the application of the death penalty in time of war pursuant to a conviction for a most serious crime of a military nature committed during wartime.

Spain4

Malta

Reservation:

"Pursuant to article 2, Malta reserves the right to apply the death penalty to persons subject to the Malta Armed Forces Act (Chapter 220 of the revised edition of the Laws of Malta), which Act provides that the death penalty may be awarded in exceptional and serious cases defined therein, but only in times of war".

 

 

NOTES

1. Official Records of the General Assembly, Forty-fourth Session, Supplement No. 49 (A-44-49), p. 206.

2. The German Democratic Republic signed and ratified the Proto-col on 7 March 1990 and 16 August 1990, respectively. See also note 14 in chapter I.2.

3. For the Kingdom in Europe, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba.

4. On 13 January 1998, the Government of Spain notified the Secretary-General that it had decided to withdraw its reservation made upon ratification. The reservation reads as follows:

Pursuant to article 2, Spain reserves the right to apply the death penalty in the exceptional and extremely serious cases provided for in Fundamental Act No. 13-1985 of 9 December 1985 regulating the Military Criminal Code, in wartime as defined in article 25 of that Act.

5. In respect of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Bailiwick of Guernsey, the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Isle of Man.