government: presidential republic
state of civil and political rights: Partly free
constitution: 9 January 1987; reforms in 1995, 2000, and 2005
legal system: civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts
legislative system: unicameral National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional )
judicial system: Supreme Court, 16 judges elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly
religion: Roman Catholic 58.5%, Evangelical 21.6%, Moravian 1.5%, Episcopal 0.1%, other 1.9%, none 8.5%
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
situation:
The Constitution of the Republic of Nicaragua (1987) at Art. 23 states: "The right to life is inviolable and inherent to the human person. In Nicaragua there is no death penalty." The country has been abolitionist since 1979, and the last execution was held in 1930.
On December 19, 2016, Nicaragua voted again 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 the text.
