Capital punishment in Latvia
Encyclopedia
Latvia
was the last country of the European Union
to retain capital punishment
for murder, however only during wartime.
Latvia regained independence in 1991 after fall of the Soviet Union
. Subsequently the death penalty in civilian cases was reserved for murder and the only method of executions, as during Soviet times, was shooting with a single bullet to the back of the head. The last executions took place in January 1996.
In the autumn 1996, President Guntis Ulmanis
had claimed that he would commute any death sentence to a term of imprisonment.
Latvia continued to hand down death sentences until 1998. On April 15, 1999 the death penalty in time of peace was abolished by ratifying Protocol No. 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights
. In 2002 Latvia signed Protocol No. 13 to ECHR, concerning the abolition of the death penalty under all circumstances. Protocol 13 was ratified on 14 October 2011.
The Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR has not been signed by Latvia.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
was the last country of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
to retain capital punishment
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
for murder, however only during wartime.
Latvia regained independence in 1991 after fall of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Subsequently the death penalty in civilian cases was reserved for murder and the only method of executions, as during Soviet times, was shooting with a single bullet to the back of the head. The last executions took place in January 1996.
In the autumn 1996, President Guntis Ulmanis
Guntis Ulmanis
Guntis Ulmanis is a Latvian politician and was the fifth President of Latvia from 1993 to 1999.-Early life:Guntis Ulmanis was born in Riga on September 13, 1939. His grandfather was the brother of then-President and Prime Minister Kārlis Ulmanis. In 1941 Guntis Ulmanis and his family were exiled...
had claimed that he would commute any death sentence to a term of imprisonment.
Latvia continued to hand down death sentences until 1998. On April 15, 1999 the death penalty in time of peace was abolished by ratifying Protocol No. 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights
European Convention on Human Rights
The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms is an international treaty to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe. Drafted in 1950 by the then newly formed Council of Europe, the convention entered into force on 3 September 1953...
. In 2002 Latvia signed Protocol No. 13 to ECHR, concerning the abolition of the death penalty under all circumstances. Protocol 13 was ratified on 14 October 2011.
The Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR has not been signed by Latvia.
External links
- Status of ratification:
- Second Optional Protocol to ICCPR;
- Protocol No. 6 to ECHR
- Protocol No. 13 to ECHR