Latvia
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Abolitionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · President Guntis Ulmanis imposed a moratorium on the...
- News items in the archive
- 46
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Latvia is classified as Abolitionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 46 news items on Latvia, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- FEBRUARY 12, 2002LatviaDEATH PENALTY
The cabinet of ministers approved draft amendments...
The cabinet of ministers approved draft amendments to the Criminal Code, Criminal Law and the law on the enactment of the criminal law in order to bring this legislation in line with the international protocol on the abolition of the death penalty
- JANUARY 7, 2002LatviaDEATH PENALTY
The Latvian Cabinet of Ministers' committee approved...
The Latvian Cabinet of Ministers' committee approved amendments to several laws in order to harmonize these laws with the international protocol aimed at the abolition of the death penalty
- JANUARY 1, 2002LatviaDEATH PENALTY
On April 15, 1999, Parliament (64-15) voted to abolish...
On April 15, 1999, Parliament (64-15) voted to abolish the death penalty
- APRIL 25, 2001LatviaDEATH PENALTY
Latvia was a cosponsor and voted in favour of the resolution...
Latvia was a cosponsor and voted in favour of the resolution on the death penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights on April 25, 2001
- JANUARY 1, 2001LatviaDEATH PENALTY
On April 15, 1999, Parliament (64-15) voted to abolish...
On April 15, 1999, Parliament (64-15) voted to abolish the death penalty
- MAY 18, 2000LatviaDEATH PENALTY
The Saeima passed amendments to the Criminal Law that...
The Saeima passed amendments to the Criminal Law that stipulate that murder under unmitigated circumstances during wartime is punishable by death
- APRIL 26, 2000LatviaDEATH PENALTY
Latvia cosponsored and voted in favour of the resolution...
Latvia cosponsored and voted in favour of the resolution on the death penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights on April 26 (no
- FEBRUARY 29, 2000LatviaDEATH PENALTY
Indulis Berzins, Minister of Foreign Affairs, praised...
Indulis Berzins, Minister of Foreign Affairs, praised the report on the human rights situation worldwide, including Latvia, made by the U
- JANUARY 1, 2000LatviaDEATH PENALTY
On April 15, 1999, Parliament (64-15) voted to abolish...
On April 15, 1999, Parliament (64-15) voted to abolish the death penalty
- DECEMBER 1, 1999LatviaDEATH PENALTY
In December, a poll by the private EMOR polling firm,...
In December, a poll by the private EMOR polling firm, showed support for capital punishment in Latvia as being 58 %
- JUNE 1, 1999LatviaDEATH PENALTY
On June 1, the country officially abolished the death...
On June 1, the country officially abolished the death penalty after the entry into force of the Protocol No
- APRIL 28, 1999LatviaDEATH PENALTY
Latvia was a cosponsor and voted in favor of the resolution...
Latvia was a cosponsor and voted in favor of the resolution on the death penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights on April 28 (1999/61)
- APRIL 15, 1999LatviaDEATH PENALTY
On April 15, Parliament (64-15) voted to abolish the...
On April 15, Parliament (64-15) voted to abolish the death penalty
- FEBRUARY 4, 1999LatviaDEATH PENALTY
On February 4, Parliament approved the first reading...
On February 4, Parliament approved the first reading of legislation on Protocol No
- JANUARY 6, 1999LatviaDEATH PENALTY
On January 6, the Latvian Parliament moved a step closer...
On January 6, the Latvian Parliament moved a step closer to abolishing capital punishment, just as the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence imposed on a convicted murderer
- JANUARY 1, 1999LatviaDEATH PENALTY
President Guntis Ulmanis imposed a moratorium on the...
President Guntis Ulmanis imposed a moratorium on the death penalty in 1996 but Parliament refused to scrap it entirely when it drew up a new Criminal Code, due to take effect in April of that year