The member States of the Council of Europe signatory
hereto,
Convinced that everyone’s right to life is a basic
value in a democratic society and that the abolition of the death penalty is
essential for the protection of this right and for the full recognition of the
inherent dignity of all human beings;
Wishing to strengthen the protection of the right to
life guaranteed by the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedoms signed at Rome on 4 November 1950 (hereinafter referred to
as "the Convention");
Noting that Protocol No. 6 to the Convention,
concerning the Abolition of the Death Penalty, signed at Strasbourg on 28 April
1983, does not exclude the death penalty in respect of acts committed in time
of war or of imminent threat of war;
Being resolved to take the final step in order to
abolish the death penalty in all circumstances,
Have agreed as follows:
Article 1 – Abolition of the death penalty
The death penalty shall be abolished. No one shall be
condemned to such penalty or executed.
Article 2 – Prohibition of derogations
No derogation from the provisions of this Protocol
shall be made under Article 15 of the Convention.
Article 3 – Prohibition of reservations
No reservation may be made under Article 57 of the
Convention in respect of the provisions of this Protocol.
Article 4 – Territorial application
1 Any State may, at the time
of signature or when depositing its instrument of ratification, acceptance or
approval, specify the territory or territories to which this Protocol shall
apply.
2 Any State may at any later
date, by a declaration addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of
Europe, extend the application of this Protocol to any other territory
specified in the declaration. In respect of such territory the Protocol shall
enter into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of a
period of three months after the date of receipt of such declaration by the
Secretary General.
3 Any declaration made under
the two preceding paragraphs may, in respect of any territory specified in such
declaration, be withdrawn or modified by a notification addressed to the
Secretary General. The withdrawal or modification shall become effective on the
first day of the month following the expiration of a period of three months
after the date of receipt of such notification by the Secretary General.
Article 5 – Relationship to the Convention
As between the States Parties the provisions of
Articles 1 to 4 of this Protocol shall be regarded as additional articles to
the Convention, and all the provisions of the Convention shall apply
accordingly.
Article 6 – Signature and ratification
This Protocol shall be open for signature by member
States of the Council of Europe which have signed the Convention. It is subject
to ratification, acceptance or approval. A member State of the Council of
Europe may not ratify, accept or approve this Protocol without previously or simultaneously
ratifying the Convention. Instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval
shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
Article 7 – Entry into force
1 This Protocol shall enter
into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period
of three months after the date on which ten member States of the Council of
Europe have expressed their consent to be bound by the Protocol in accordance
with the provisions of Article 6.
2 In respect of any member
State which subsequently expresses its consent to be bound by it, the Protocol
shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the expiration
of a period of three months after the date of the deposit of the instrument of
ratification, acceptance or approval.
Article 8 – Depositary functions
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall
notify all the member States of the Council of Europe of:
a
any signature;
b
the deposit of any instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval;
c
any date of entry into force of this Protocol in accordance with Articles 4 and
7;
d
any other act, notification or communication relating to this Protocol.
In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly
authorised thereto, have signed this Protocol.
Done at Vilnius, this 3rd day of May 2002, in English
and in French, both texts being equally authentic, in a single copy which shall
be deposited in the archives of the Council of Europe. The Secretary General of
the Council of Europe shall transmit certified copies to each member State of
the Council of Europe.
The member States of the Council of Europe signatory
hereto,
Convinced that everyone’s right to life is a basic
value in a democratic society and that the abolition of the death penalty is
essential for the protection of this right and for the full recognition of the
inherent dignity of all human beings;
Wishing to strengthen the protection of the right to
life guaranteed by the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedoms signed at Rome on 4 November 1950 (hereinafter referred to
as "the Convention");
Noting that Protocol No. 6 to the Convention,
concerning the Abolition of the Death Penalty, signed at Strasbourg on 28 April
1983, does not exclude the death penalty in respect of acts committed in time
of war or of imminent threat of war;
Being resolved to take the final step in order to
abolish the death penalty in all circumstances,
Have agreed as follows:
Article 1 – Abolition of the death penalty
The death penalty shall be abolished. No one shall be
condemned to such penalty or executed.
Article 2 – Prohibition of derogations
No derogation from the provisions of this Protocol
shall be made under Article 15 of the Convention.
Article 3 – Prohibition of reservations
No reservation may be made under Article 57 of the
Convention in respect of the provisions of this Protocol.
Article 4 – Territorial application
1 Any State may, at the time
of signature or when depositing its instrument of ratification, acceptance or
approval, specify the territory or territories to which this Protocol shall
apply.
2 Any State may at any later
date, by a declaration addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of
Europe, extend the application of this Protocol to any other territory
specified in the declaration. In respect of such territory the Protocol shall
enter into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of a
period of three months after the date of receipt of such declaration by the
Secretary General.
3 Any declaration made under
the two preceding paragraphs may, in respect of any territory specified in such
declaration, be withdrawn or modified by a notification addressed to the
Secretary General. The withdrawal or modification shall become effective on the
first day of the month following the expiration of a period of three months
after the date of receipt of such notification by the Secretary General.
Article 5 – Relationship to the Convention
As between the States Parties the provisions of
Articles 1 to 4 of this Protocol shall be regarded as additional articles to
the Convention, and all the provisions of the Convention shall apply
accordingly.
Article 6 – Signature and ratification
This Protocol shall be open for signature by member
States of the Council of Europe which have signed the Convention. It is subject
to ratification, acceptance or approval. A member State of the Council of
Europe may not ratify, accept or approve this Protocol without previously or
simultaneously ratifying the Convention. Instruments of ratification,
acceptance or approval shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the
Council of Europe.
Article 7 – Entry into force
1 This Protocol shall enter
into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period
of three months after the date on which ten member States of the Council of
Europe have expressed their consent to be bound by the Protocol in accordance
with the provisions of Article 6.
2 In respect of any member
State which subsequently expresses its consent to be bound by it, the Protocol
shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the expiration
of a period of three months after the date of the deposit of the instrument of
ratification, acceptance or approval.
Article 8
– Depositary functions
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall
notify all the member States of the Council of Europe of:
a
any signature;
b
the deposit of any instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval;
c
any date of entry into force of this Protocol in accordance with Articles 4 and
7;
d
any other act, notification or communication relating to this Protocol.
In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly
authorised thereto, have signed this Protocol.
Done at Vilnius, this 3rd day of May 2002, in English
and in French, both texts being equally authentic, in a single copy which shall
be deposited in the archives of the Council of Europe. The Secretary General of
the Council of Europe shall transmit certified copies to each member State of
the Council of Europe.