government: repubblica costituzionale
state of civil and political rights: Free
constitution: February 1967, constitutional reform approved by referendum on 7 January 1997
legal system: based on Spanish law
legislative system: bicameral General Assembly consists of Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Representatives
judicial system: Supreme Court whose judges are nominated by the president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly
religion: Catholic majority
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
Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights to abolish the Death Penalty
Inter-American Convention to Prevent and Punish Torture
Statute of the International Criminal Court (which excludes the death penalty)
situation:
The Constitution of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay (1967) at Art. 26 states: ‘the death penalty shall not be applied to anyone.’ Article 26 is included under Section II, ‘Rights, Duties and Guarantees’.
The law in Uruguayan law forbids extradition to a country where a defendant could be subject to a penalty more severe than that applied for the same offence in Uruguay. In death penalty cases, extradition is possible if the requesting state gives assurances that capital punishment will not be applied.
The last execution was held in 1905.
On December 19, 2016, Uruguay co-sponsored and voted again in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium on the Use of the Death Penalty at the UN General Assembly.
