Capital punishment in Latvia was abolished for ordinary crimes in 1999 and for crimes committed during wartime in 2012. [1] Latvia is party to several international instruments which ban the capital punishment.
Latvia regained independence in 1991 after the fall of the Soviet Union. Subsequently, the death penalty in civilian cases was reserved for murder and the only method of execution, as during Soviet times, was shooting with a single bullet to the back of the head. The last executions took place in January 1996. [2]
In October 1996, President Guntis Ulmanis stated that he would commute any death sentence to a term of imprisonment. [3]
Latvia continued to hand down death sentences until 1998. On April 15, 1999 the death penalty in peacetime 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. The law on the ratification of Protocol 13 was adopted on 13 October 2011 and the protocol was ratified on 26 January 2012. Protocol 13 was entered into force on 1 May 2012. [4]
Latvia was the last European Union country to retain capital punishment for wartime murder, [5] [6] until it abolished it in 2012. [7] Latvia acceded to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 2013. [8]
Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that the person is responsible for violating norms that warrant said punishment. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in such a manner is known as a death sentence, and the act of carrying out the sentence is known as an execution. A prisoner who has been sentenced to death and awaits execution is condemned and is commonly referred to as being "on death row".
Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is a state-sanctioned practice of killing a person as a punishment for a crime. Historically, capital punishment has been used in almost every part of the world. Currently, the large majority of countries have either abolished or discontinued the practice.
Capital punishment in Sweden was last used in 1910, though it remained a legal sentence for at least some crimes until 1973. It is now outlawed by the Swedish Constitution, which states that capital punishment, corporal punishment, and torture are strictly prohibited. At the time of the abolition of the death penalty in Sweden, the legal method of execution was beheading.
Capital punishment has been completely abolished in all European countries except for Belarus and Russia, the latter of which has a moratorium and has not conducted an execution since September 1996. The complete ban on capital punishment is enshrined in both the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (EU) and two widely adopted protocols of the European Convention on Human Rights of the Council of Europe, and is thus considered a central value. Of all modern European countries, San Marino, Portugal, and the Netherlands were the first to abolish capital punishment, whereas only Belarus still practises capital punishment in some form or another. In 2012, Latvia became the last EU member state to abolish capital punishment in wartime.
Capital punishment is a long unused form of punishment in Brazil. Its last recorded use was in 1876. Although virtually abolished, it is still possible during wartime, according to the Article 5, XLVII, "a", of the Federal Constitution. Brazil is the most populous country in the world that does not retain the death penalty in practice. It is also one of seven countries to have abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes only.
Capital punishment in Armenia was a method of punishment that was implemented within Armenia's Criminal Code and Constitution until its eventual relinquishment in the 2003 modifications made to the Constitution. Capital punishment's origin in Armenia is unknown, yet it remained present in the Armenia Criminal Code of 1961, which was enforced and applied until 1999. Capital punishment was incorporated in Armenian legislation and effectuated for capital crimes, which were crimes that were classified to be punishable by death, this included: treason, espionage, first-degree murder, acts of terrorism and grave military crimes.
Capital punishment in Austria was abolished in 1787, although restored in 1795. Unlike other countries with a minimum age of 18, the Habsburg Law enacted in 1919 set the minimum age for execution in Austria to 20.
Capital punishment in modern Greece was carried out using the guillotine or by firing squad. It was last applied in 1972 during the military junta, and the death penalty was abolished in stages between 1975 and 2005.
Capital punishment is no longer applied in San Marino: the last execution was carried out in 1468 or in 1667, by hanging.
Capital punishment in Kazakhstan was abolished for all crimes in 2021.
Capital punishment has been abolished in Seychelles. The country permanently abolished the death penalty by a Constitutional amendment in June 1993.
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Chile. It was abolished for civilian offenses in 2001 and is now only in the military code of justice. It remains applicable to military personnel for war crimes and crimes against humanity during wartime. Chile is one of seven countries that has abolished capital punishment "for ordinary crimes only." The method of execution is shooting. The last executions in Chile were of serial killers Carlos Topp Collins and Jorge Sagredo, on January 29, 1985, by firing squad.
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in El Salvador. It was abolished in 1983 by Article 27 of the constitution, with an exception allowed for crimes committed under military law during a state of international war. Because of this, El Salvador is one of seven countries considered "Abolitionist for Ordinary Crimes," along with Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chile, Guatemala, Israel, and Peru. El Salvador's last execution was in 1973.
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Grenada. Despite its legality, there have been no executions since 1978. Grenada is considered "abolitionist in practice," and is currently the only country in The Americas in this category. There is currently one person on death row in Grenada, as of August 30, 2021. During its United Nations Universal Periodic Review on January 27, 2020, Grenada told the UN that it is a de facto abolitionist state with a de facto moratorium with effect since 1978, and that it will not carry out any executions. Abolishing capital punishment in law was part of one of the amendments during the failed 2016 Grenadian constitutional referendum. Grenada voted against the United Nations moratorium on the death penalty in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, and most recently, in 2020. Grenada is not a member state of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Capital punishment is abolished in Argentina. Argentina abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1984 and abolished it for all crimes in 2008. Argentina voted in favor of the United Nations moratorium on the death penalty eight times, in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020. Argentina signed the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on 20 Dec 2006 and ratified it on 2 Sep 2008.
Capital punishment has been abolished in Bolivia. It was abolished for ordinary crimes in 1997, and for all crimes in 2009. Bolivia's last execution was of Melquiades Suxo on 30 August 1973.
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Liberia. However, Liberia is classified as "Abolitionist in Practice." Liberia last executed in 2000.
Capital punishment was abolished by constitution in the Ivory Coast in 2000. However, there were reports in August 2011 of 26 extrajudicial executions. The Ivory Coast is not a state party to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Capital punishment was abolished in Madagascar in 2015. Madagascar last executed in 1958. Prior to de jure abolition, Madagascar was classified as "Abolitionist in Practice."
Capital punishment was abolished in Namibia in 1990. The last execution was in 1988 under the rule of South Africa.
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