The World Coalition's campaign in favour of the UN Protocol on abolition

HomepageThe World Coalition's campaign in favour of the international and regional protocols on abolition

- Protocol
  The World Coalition's campaign in favour of the international and regional protocols on abolition
  
  The World Coalition’s objective is the ratification of the international and regional protocols on the abolition of the death penalty by all the states that have abolished the death penalty in law or in practice.
- In 2015, the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty conducted the third internal evaluation of the ratification campaign entitled “5 years on: results – best practices – strategy”. The main result of the campaign was the increase in the number of ratifications of international and regional protocols. Between 2010 and 2015, 10 countries have ratified at least one protocol, either regional or international or both (Benin, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Mongolia, and Poland) and two other countries signed the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR (Angola and Madagascar). In 2016 and 2017, three additional countries ratified or acceded to the Second Optional Protocol: Togo, the Dominican Republic, and Sao Tome and Principe.
  
  The target countries for 2017
  - Angola
  - Côte d'Ivoire
  - Guinea
  - Madagascar
  - Congo
  - Sierra Leone
  - Morocco
  - Armenia
  - Suriname
  - Samoa
  
  Tool kit for Lobbying Actions
  
  The World Coalition has produced several tools to help you take action:
  - An Information Leaflet
  - Ten Ratification Kits (one per target country)
  - A Lobbying Kit
  - A Ratification Kit for Parliamentarians
  - And other documents...
  
  Latest ratifications
  
  Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (84 State parties out of the 169 State parties to the ICCPR and out of the 141 abolitionist States in law or in practice):
  -    Sao Tome and Principe: ratification on 10 January 2017
  -    Dominican Republic: accession on 21 September 2016
  -    Togo: accession on 15 September 2016
  -    Poland: ratification on 25 April 2014
  -    El Salvador: accession 8 April 2014
  -    Gabon: accession 2 April 2014
  -   Guinea-Bissau: ratification on 24 September 2013
  -   Angola: signature on 24 September 2013
  -   Bolivia: accession on 12 July 2013
  -   Latvia: accession on 19 April 2013
  -   Madagascar: signature on 24 September 2012
  -   Benin: accession on 5 July 2012
  -   Mongolia: accession on 13 March 2012
  
  Protocol to the American Convention for Human rights (13 State parties out of the 22 States parties to the American Convention and of the 35 member states of the OAS):
  -   Dominican Republic ratified it on 27 January 2012
  
  Protocol No. 13 to the European Convention for Human Rights (44 States parties out of the 47 member states of the Council of Europe):
  -    Poland ratified on 23 May 2014
  -   Latvia ratified it on 5 January 2012
  
  Follow up of the previous target countries
  
  The World Coalition follows up on the countries that have ratified the Second Optional Protocol but not the corresponding regional protocol to do so, and vice-versa:
  -    El Salvador, Bolivia, Canada and Columbia have ratified the Second Optional Protocol but the Protocol to the American Convention for Human rights
  -   The Dominican Republic ratified the American Protocol in 2012 and the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR in 2016.
  Finally, the World Coalition ensures above all the respect of the provisions of the protocols, especially for the countries that have ratified a protocol but have not abolished yet the death penalty in their legislation. As of 25 January 2016, 2 countries are concerned: Benin and Liberia. Mongolia acceded to the Second Optional Protocol on 13 March 2012 and abolished the death penalty in law on 3 December 2015.
- Protocol
  A universal tool with regional equivalents
  
  The Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR is the only universal instrument aiming at the abolition of the death penalty, but there are also regional protocols for which the World Coalition is also campaigning
  
  Article by Aurélie Plaçais published on April 02nd, 2013
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  Second Optional Protocol: Frequently Asked Questions
  
  What is it? How is it implemented? You will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Second Optional Protocol below.
  
  Article by Pierre Desert published on June 27th, 2008
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  Glossary of the Second Optional Protocol
  
  From "Acceptance" to "Treaty", discover the vocabulary of international law and get a clearer picture of the Second Optional Protocol.
  
  Article by Pierre Désert published on June 25th, 2008
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  The international responsibility of States
  
  When a State ratifies a treaty, it undertakes to respect the undertakings that it has made before the whole of the international community. If it fails to meets its obligations and goes against the provisions of the treaty, it can be held responsible at international level.
  
  Article by Pierre Désert published on June 25th, 2008
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  Map: Second Optional Protocol Ratifications
  
  This map gives the status of States in relation to the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR on the abolition of the death penalty and indicates whether they have abolished the death penalty or not.
  
  Gallery published on January 20th, 2014
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  Marc Bossuyt: “Countries that have not signed up to the Protocol should feel isolated”
  
  Marc Bossuyt was UN Special Rapporteur for drawing up the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. He is now president of Belgium's Constitutional Court.
  
  Article by Pierre Désert published on June 27th, 2008
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  Second Optional Protocol: the only global treaty aiming at the abolition of the death penalty
  
  The Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) is an international covenant adopted in 1989 by the United Nations General Assembly. It aims to abolish the death penalty definitively.
  
  Article by Pierre Désert published on June 24th, 2008
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  Sharing best practices on ratifying the UN treaty to abolish the death penalty
  
  Belgium and the United Nations’ human rights office have held a panel discussion to promote efforts in favour of the strongest international instrument against capital punishment.
  
  Article by Aurélie Plaçais published on September 25th, 2011
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  Benin votes overwhelmingly to join abolitionist ranks
  
  On 19 August 2011, the National Assembly of Benin counted 54 votes in favour of ratifying the UN protocol on the abolition of the death penalty, with only 5 votes against and 6 abstentions.
  
  Article by Emile Carreau published on September 05th, 2011
- Kyrgyzstan becomes 73rd country to pass irreversible abolition
  
  Following one year of lobbying led by the World Coalition, the Central Asian country has become a party to the UN protocol on the abolition of the death penalty.
  
  Article published on December 17th, 2010
- UN Protocol on death penalty turns 20
  
  For 20 years, the United Nations Protocol to abolish the death penalty has been the only universal treaty of worldwide scope to prohibit executions and secure universal abolition of the death penalty for all crimes.
  
  Article published on December 15th, 2009
- Two countries asked to ratify the UN Protocol on abolition
  
  As part of the campaign in favour of the treaty on the abolition of the death penalty, Chile and Spain encouraged the Dominican Republic and the Ivory Coast to ratify the text.
  
  Article published on December 09th, 2009
- UN Protocol campaign harnesses diplomatic power
  
  The World Coalition launched its action programme in favour of the UN Protocol to abolish the death penalty on 21 October in Geneva.
  
  Article published on November 04th, 2009
- Brasilia accedes to the UN's protocol on the abolition of the death penalty
  
  On September 25, Brazil became the 72nd state party to the international treaty that abolishes the death penalty without any possibility of reinstating it.
  
  Article published on September 29th, 2009
- Asia
  ADPAN welcomes Mongolia’s decision abolish death penalty in law
  
  Mongolia abolished the death penalty for all crimes in law on 3 December 2015 by adopting a new Criminal Code without any reference to capital punishment.
  
  Article by ADPAN published on December 18th, 2015
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  Irreversible abolition of the death penalty in Togo and the Dominican Republic
  
  Both countries acceded mid-September to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on the abolition of the death penalty.
  
  Article by Guillaume Colin and Aurélie Plaçais published on September 27th, 2016
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  São Tomé and Príncipe ratifies OP2 and approves total and definitive abolition of the death penalty
  
  On 10 January 2017, São Tomé and Príncipe ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty and became its 84th State party.
  
  Article by Elise Guillot published on January 18th, 2017
- Keywords
- International law
- Focus on
- World Day 15th World Day Against the Death Penalty: Poverty
  On 10 October 2017, the 15th World Day Against the Death Penalty aims at raising awareness about the reasons why people living in poverty are at a greater risk of being sentenced to death and executed.
- Other Folders
- World Congress Teaching abolition: educational resources
- World Day 12th World Day Against the Death Penalty: Mental Health
- World Day 11th World Day against the Death Penalty: Greater Caribbean