A-53: PROTOCOL TO THE AMERICAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
TO ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY
PREAMBLE
THE STATES PARTIES TO THIS PROTOCOL,
CONSIDERING:
That Article 4 of the American Convention on Human Rights
recognizes the right to life and restricts the application of the death penalty;
That everyone has the inalienable right to respect for his
life, a right that cannot be suspended for any reason;
That the tendency among the American States is to be in
favor of abolition of the death penalty;
That application of the death penalty has irrevocable
consequences, forecloses the correction of judicial error, and precludes any possibility
of changing or rehabilitating those convicted;
That the abolition of the death penalty helps to ensure
more effective protection of the right to life;
That an international agreement must be arrived at that
will entail a progressive development of the American Convention on Human Rights, and
That States Parties to the American Convention on Human
Rights have expressed their intention to adopt an international agreement with a view to
consolidating the practice of not applying the death penalty in the Americas,
HAVE AGREED TO SIGN THE FOLLOWING
PROTOCOL TO THE AMERICAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS TO ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY
Article 1
The States Parties to this Protocol shall not apply the
death penalty in their territory to any person subject to their jurisdiction.
Article 2
1. No reservations may be made to this Protocol. However,
at the time of ratification or accession, the States Parties to this instrument may
declare that they reserve the right to apply the death penalty in wartime in accordance
with international law, for extremely serious crimes of a military nature.
2. The State Party making this reservation shall, upon
ratification or accession, inform the Secretary General of the Organization of American
States of the pertinent provisions of its national legislation applicable in wartime, as
referred to in the preceding paragraph.
3. Said State Party shall notify the Secretary General of
the Organization of American States of the beginning or end of any state of war in effect
in its territory.
Article 3
1. This Protocol shall be open for signature and
ratification or accession by any State Party to the American Convention on Human Rights.
2. Ratification of this Protocol or accession thereto
shall be made through the deposit of an instrument of ratification or accession with the
General Secretariat of the Organization of American States.
Article 4
This Protocol shall enter into force among the States that
ratify or accede to it when they deposit their respective instruments of ratification or
accession with the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States.
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