government: parliamentary democracy
state of civil and political rights: Free
constitution: 1 January 1993, amended a number of times, most recently in 2002
legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes
legislative system: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (Senat) and the Chamber of Deputies (Snemovna Poslancu)
judicial system: Supreme Court and Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term
religion: Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59%
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
European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
6th Protocol to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (concerning the abolition of the death penalty)
European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Protocol No. 13 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, concerning the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances (signed only)
Statute of the International Criminal Court (which excludes the death penalty) (only signed)
situation:
The Czech Republic abolished the death penalty in 1990. The Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms at Art. 6 states: "There shall be no death penalty."
The death penalty was abolished when the Czech Republic was part of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic. That entity became two separate states in 1993. Between 1945 and 1990, over 1,200 people were executed by the state.
On July 2, 2004 the Czech Republic ratified Protocol No 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms banning the death penalty in all circumstances. It entered into force on November 1, 2004.
On December 19, 2016, as previous years, the Czech Republic co-sponsored and voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium on the Use of the Death Penalty at the UN General Assembly.
