Published On Oct 10, 2019
Complete American Convention on Human Rights - Covenant of Saint Jose Costa Rica
DUTIES OF STATES AND PROTECTED RIGHTS
CHAPTER I
LIABILITY OF DUTIES
Article 1. Obligation to respect rights
1. The States Parties to this Convention undertake to respect the rights and freedoms recognized therein and to guarantee their free and full exercise to all persons subject to their jurisdiction, without any discrimination on grounds of race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, economic position, birth or any other social condition.
2. For the purposes of this Convention, a person is every human being.
Article 2. Duty to adopt provisions of national law
If the exercise of the rights and freedoms referred to in article 1 is not yet guaranteed by laws or otherwise, States Parties undertake to adopt, in accordance with their constitutional requirements and the provisions of this Convention, the laws or regulations of any other nature necessary to make such rights and freedoms effective.
CHAPTER II
CIVIL AND POLICY RIGHTS
Article 3. Right to recognition of legal personality
Everyone has the right to recognition of their legal personality.
Article 4. Right to life
1. Everyone has the right to respect for their lives. This right must be protected by law and generally from the moment of conception. No one can be arbitrarily deprived of life.
2. In countries which have not abolished the death penalty, the death penalty may only be imposed for the most serious offenses, in compliance with the final judgment of a competent court and in accordance with the law establishing such a penalty, promulgated before the offense was committed. Nor will its application extend to offenses to which it does not currently apply.
3. The death penalty cannot be reinstated in states that have abolished it.
4. In no case may the death penalty be imposed for political offenses or for common offenses connected with political offenses.
