Hands Off Cain
Estonia

Estonia abolished the death penalty for all crimes on May 13, 1998.

Estonia abolished the death penalty for all crimes on May 13, 1998.

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Estonia abolished the death penalty for all crimes on May 13, 1998. In December 1996, the Estonian Parliament had adopted an amendment to the criminal code introducing life imprisonment as an alternative to the death sentence. In 1998, following abolition, the sentences of the eight prisoners on death row were commuted to life imprisonment.
On January 30, 2004, Estonia ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (aiming to the abolition of the death penalty).
On February 25, 2004 Estonia deposited with the Council of Europe the instrument of ratification of Protocol No 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms banning the death penalty in all circumstances. The last time capital punishment was carried out in Estonia was in 1991.
On December 18, 2008 and December 21st, 2010, Estonia co-sponsored and voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium on the Use of the Death Penalty at the UN General Assembly.