Azerbaijan^6,

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."

Cyprus

Reservation:

"The Republic of Cyprus in accordance with article 2.1 of the [...] Protocol reserves the right to apply the Death Penalty in time of war pursuant to a conviction of a most serious crime of a military nature committed during wartime."

Greece

Reservation:

Subject to article 2 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.

Spain^4,

Malta^7,

France

8 February 2000

With regard to the reservation made by Azerbaijan upon accession :

... 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.
 

NOTES

1. Official Records of the General Assembly, Forty-fourth Session, Supplement No. 49 (A/44/49), p. 206.
 

2. The German Democratic Republic signed and ratified the Proto-col on 7 March 1990 and 16 August 1990, respectively. See also note 15 in chapter I.2.
 

3. For the Kingdom in Europe, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba.
 

4. On 13 January 1998, the Government of Spain notified the Secretary-General that it had decided to withdraw its reservation made upon ratification. The reservation reads as follows:

Pursuant to article 2, Spain reserves the right to apply the death penalty in the exceptional and extremely serious cases provided for in Fundamental Act No. 13/1985 of 9 December 1985 regulating the Military Criminal Code, in wartime as defined in article 25 of that Act.
 

5. In respect of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Bailiwick of Guernsey, the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Isle
 

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

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 benefitting 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 benefiting 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.
 

7. In a communication received on 15 June 2000, the Government of Malta informed the Secretary-General that it had decided to withdraw its reservation made upon accession. For the text of the reservation, see United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1844, p. 318.