government: presidential republic
state of civil and political rights: Partly free
constitution: 2 February 1967, revised in August 1994.
New constitution adopted on 7 February 2009
legal system: based on Spanish system and Napoleonic codes
legislative system: bicameral Parliament consists of Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores) and Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)
judicial system: Supreme Court, judges appointed for a 10-year term by National Congress
religion: 95% Catholic; 5% Protestant
death row:
year of last executions: 0-0-0
death sentences: 0
executions: 0
international treaties on human rights and the death penalty:International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
1st Optional Protocol to the Covenant
Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (aiming to the abolition of the death penalty)
Convention on the Rights of the Child
Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
American Convention on Human Rights
Inter-American Convention to Prevent and Punish Torture
Statute of the International Criminal Court (which excludes the death penalty)
situation:
The Constitution of Bolivia, under article 17 bars the death penalty. The Penal Code of 1973, drafted under a former military government, prescribed the death penalty until, in March 1997, Congress adopted law 1768 formally abolishing the death penalty for all ordinary crimes and offences against state security, bringing the Penal Code in line with the Constitution and making Bolivia a completely abolitionist state. Under article 17 of the Constitution, the penalty for murder, parricide and treason is a 30-year jail term.
In August 1999, the rape and murder of 10-year-old Patricia Flores in the capital, La Paz, sparked calls for reinstatement of the death penalty. However, a bill to reinstate the death penalty was rejected by a majority of parliamentarians during a Congressional debate held at the beginning of September 1999. The last execution in Bolivia was in 1974.
On December 19, 2016, Bolivia once again voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium on the Use of the Death Penalty at the UN General Assembly, but did not co-sponsored.
On 29 September 2017, Bolivia voted in favour of the Resolution on the Death Penalty at the 36° session of the UN Council on Human Rights.
