Capital punishment in Slovakia
Encyclopedia
Capital punishment in Slovakia
was abolished in 1990 and the most severe punishment permissible by law is life imprisonment
. Before that, capital punishment
was common in Czechoslovakia
, Slovak State, Austria-Hungary
, Kingdom of Hungary
and probably all previous political entities that existed
in the area of today's Slovakia. Since 1989, no one was executed in Slovakia with a few controversial political killings by the Slovak Secret Service
in the 1990s. Since then, there have been no reports of the government or its agents committing arbitrary or unlawful killings.
The last person executed in Slovakia remains Štefan Svitek (28) from Podbrezová
who killed his wife and two daughters with an axe
in 1987 and he was executed on June 8, 1989 in Bratislava
, Czechoslovakia
(at that time).
) in Austria-Hungary
, and from 1918 in the newly created Czechoslovakia. From 1918 to 1989, 1217 people were executed legally, the majority of them immediately after World War II
. Due to chaos in historical records the actual number may be slightly different. This number doesn't include people executed during the occupation
of the Czech lands
from 1939 to 1945 or during the existence of the Slovak State (thousands were executed at that time; of these about 1079 were guillotine
d in Pankrác prison).
During the presidency of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (1918–35) 16 people were executed, 4 of the for military related crimes. Masaryk was an opponent of capital punishment and had the privilege of commuting death sentences, one he exercised frequently.
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
was abolished in 1990 and the most severe punishment permissible by law is life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
. Before that, 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...
was common in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, Slovak State, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
and probably all previous political entities that existed
History of Slovakia
This article discusses the history of the territory of Slovakia.- Palaeolithic :Radiocarbon dating puts the oldest surviving archaeological artifacts from Slovakia - found near Nové Mesto nad Váhom - at 270,000 BCE, in the Early Paleolithic era...
in the area of today's Slovakia. Since 1989, no one was executed in Slovakia with a few controversial political killings by the Slovak Secret Service
Slovenská informacná služba
Slovenská informačná služba is an intelligence agency of the government of Slovakia.- History :Slovenská informačná služba was established on January 21, 1993 as a descendant of the Federálna bezpečnostná informačná služba FBIS...
in the 1990s. Since then, there have been no reports of the government or its agents committing arbitrary or unlawful killings.
The last person executed in Slovakia remains Štefan Svitek (28) from Podbrezová
Podbrezová
Podbrezová is a large village and municipality in Brezno District, in the Banská Bystrica Region of central Slovakia, around 10 km west of the district seat town, Brezno.-History:...
who killed his wife and two daughters with an axe
Axe
The axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol...
in 1987 and he was executed on June 8, 1989 in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
(at that time).
Background
Capital punishment was common in the Austrian Monarchy (with a short exception from 1787 to 1795 under the rule of Joseph IIJoseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
) in Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, and from 1918 in the newly created Czechoslovakia. From 1918 to 1989, 1217 people were executed legally, the majority of them immediately after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Due to chaos in historical records the actual number may be slightly different. This number doesn't include people executed during the occupation
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
The Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia was the majority ethnic-Czech protectorate which Nazi Germany established in the central parts of Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia in what is today the Czech Republic...
of the Czech lands
Czech lands
Czech lands is an auxiliary term used mainly to describe the combination of Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia. Today, those three historic provinces compose the Czech Republic. The Czech lands had been settled by the Celts , then later by various Germanic tribes until the beginning of 7th...
from 1939 to 1945 or during the existence of the Slovak State (thousands were executed at that time; of these about 1079 were guillotine
Guillotine
The guillotine is a device used for carrying out :executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which an angled blade is suspended. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the head from the body...
d in Pankrác prison).
During the presidency of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (1918–35) 16 people were executed, 4 of the for military related crimes. Masaryk was an opponent of capital punishment and had the privilege of commuting death sentences, one he exercised frequently.
See also
- Life imprisonment in Slovakia