AZERBAIJAN

CCPR SECOND OPTIONAL PROTOCOL

RESERVATIONS AND DECLARATIONS

(Unless otherwise indicated, the reservations and declarations were made upon ratification, accession or succession)

Reservation:

"The Republic of Azerbaijan, adopting the [said Protocol], in exceptional cases, adopting the special law, allows the application of death penalty for the grave crimes, committed during the war or in condition of the threat of war."

28 September 2000

"It is provided for the application of the death penalty in time of war pursuant to a conviction of a person for a most serious crime of a military nature committed during wartime."

Note

With regard to the reservation made by Azerbaijan upon accession, the Secretary-General received communications from the following States on the dates indicated hereinafter:

France (8 February 2000)

The Government of the French Republic has taken note of the reservation made by Azerbaijan to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty, which was adopted on 15 December 1989. This reservation, in allowing the application of the death penalty for grave crimes committed during war or 'in condition of the threat of war', exceeds the scope of the reservations permitted under article 2, paragraph 1, of the Protocol. Under this article, only a reservation made 'at the time of ratification or accession that provides for the application of the death penalty in time of war pursuant to a conviction for a most serious crime of a military nature committed during wartime' is admissible. Consequently, the Government of the French Republic expresses its objection to this reservation, without prejudice to the entry into force of the Protocol between Azerbaijan and France.

Finland (17 March 2000):

"The Government of Finland notes that, according to Article 2 of the Second Optional Protocol, a reservation other than the kind referred to in the same Article is not acceptable. The reservation made by the Government of Azerbaijan is partly in contradiction with Article 2 as it does not limit the application of death penalty to the most serious crimes of a military nature committed during the time of war.

The Government of Finland therefore objects to the reservation made by the Government of Azerbaijan to the said Protocol.

This objection does not preclude the entry into force of the Second Optional Protocol between Azerbaijan and Finland. The Optional Protocol will thus become operative between the two states without Azerbaijan benefiting from the reservation."

Germany (3 March 2000):

The reservation allows the application of the death penalty for grave crimes committed during war ‘or in condition of the threat of war’. Thus the reservation is partly in contradiction of article 2 of the Protocol since it does not limit the application of the death penalty to the most serious crimes of a military nature committed during the time of war.

The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany therefore objects to the reservation by the Government of Azerbaijan. This objection does not preclude the entry into force of the Protocol between Azerbaijan and Germany."

Sweden (27 April 2000):

"The Government of Sweden recalls that reservations other than the kind referred to in Article 2 of the Protocol are not permitted. The reservation made by the Government of Azerbaijan goes beyond the limit of Article 2 of the Protocol, as it does not limit the application of the death penalty to the most serious crimes of a military nature committed during the time of war.

The Government of Sweden therefore objects to the aforesaid reservation made by the Government of Azerbaijan to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

This shall not preclude the entry into force of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Kingdom of Sweden, without Azerbaijan benefitting from the reservation."

Netherlands (17 July 2000)

"The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands notes that, according to Article 2 of the Second Optional Protocol, a reservation other than the kind referred to in the same Article is not acceptable. The reservation made by the Government of Azerbaijan is in contradiction with Article 2 as it does not limit the application of death penalty to the most serious crimes of a military nature committed during the time of war.

The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands therefore objects to the aforesaid reservation made by the Government of Azerbaijan.

This objection shall not preclude the entry into force of the Convention between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Azerbaijan."

Subsequently, on 28 September 2000, the Government of Azerbaijan communicated to the Secretary-General a modification to its reservation made upon accession. Within a period of 12 months from the date of its circulation, i.e. on 5 October 2000, none of the Contracting States to the Protocol notified the Secretary-General of an objection. Consequently, the modified reservation was deemed to have been accepted for deposit upon the expiration of the 12 month period, i.e., on 5 October 2001.

(Note 9, Chapter IV.12, Multilateral Treaties Deposited with the Secretary-General)

OBJECTIONS MADE TO STATE PARTY’S RESERVATIONS AND DECLARATIONS

[Ed. note: for objections, see Note under Reservations and Declarations, above].