United Nations Treaty Collection
[As of 9 October 2001]
6. Convention on the non-applicability of statutory limitations to war
crimes and crimes against humanity
New York, 26 November 19681
|
| Entry into force: |
11 November 1970, in accordance with article VIII. |
| Registration: |
11 November 1970, No. 10823. |
| Status: |
Signatories: 9 ,Parties: 45. |
| Text: |
United Nations, Treaty Series, vol.
754, p. 73. |
Note: The Convention was opened for signature at
New York from 16 December 1968 until 31 December 1969, in accordance with
its article V.
PARTICIPANTS
|
| Participant2 |
Signature |
Ratification,
Accession (a), Succession (d) |
| Afghanistan |
|
22 Jul 1983 a |
| Albania |
|
19 May 1971 a |
| Armenia |
|
23 Jun 1993 a |
| Azerbaijan |
|
16 Aug 1996 a |
| Belarus |
7 Jan 1969 |
8 May 1969 |
| Bolivia |
|
6 Oct 1983 a |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina3 |
|
1 Sep 1993 d |
| Bulgaria |
21 Jan 1969 |
21 May 1969 |
| Cameroon |
|
6 Oct 1972 a |
| Croatia3 |
|
12 Oct 1992 d |
| Cuba |
|
13 Sep 1972 a |
| Czech Republic4 |
|
22 Feb 1993 d |
| Democratic People's Republic of
Korea |
|
8 Nov 1984 a |
| Estonia |
|
21 Oct 1991 a |
| Gambia |
|
29 Dec 1978 a |
| Georgia |
|
31 Mar 1995 a |
| Ghana |
|
7 Sep 2000 a |
| Guinea |
|
7 Jun 1971 a |
| Hungary |
25 Mar 1969 |
24 Jun 1969 |
| India |
|
12 Jan 1971 a |
| Kenya |
|
1 May 1972 a |
| Kuwait |
|
7 Mar 1995 a |
| Lao People's Democratic Republic |
|
28 Dec 1984 a |
| Latvia |
|
14 Apr 1992 a |
| Libyan Arab Jamahiriya |
|
16 May 1989 a |
| Lithuania |
|
1 Feb 1996 a |
| Mexico |
3 Jul 1969 |
|
| Mongolia |
31 Jan 1969 |
21 May 1969 |
| Nicaragua |
|
3 Sep 1986 a |
| Nigeria |
|
1 Dec 1970 a |
| Philippines |
|
15 May 1973 a |
| Poland |
16 Dec 1968 |
14 Feb 1969 |
| Republic of Moldova |
|
26 Jan 1993 a |
| Romania |
17 Apr 1969 |
15 Sep 1969 |
| Russian Federation |
6 Jan 1969 |
22 Apr 1969 |
| Rwanda |
|
16 Apr 1975 a |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
|
9 Nov 1981 a |
| Slovakia4 |
|
28 May 1993 d |
| Slovenia3 |
|
6 Jul 1992 d |
| The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia3 |
|
18 Jan 1994 d |
| Tunisia |
|
15 Jun 1972 a |
| Ukraine |
14 Jan 1969 |
19 Jun 1969 |
| Uruguay |
|
21 Sep 2001 a |
| Viet Nam |
|
6 May 1983 a |
| Yemen5 |
|
9 Feb 1987 a |
| Yugoslavia3 |
|
12 Mar 2001 d |
DECLARATIONS
Declarations and Reservations
(Unless otherwise indicated, the declarations and reservations were made
upon ratification, accession or succession.)
Afghanistan
Since the provisions of articles V and VII of the said Convention,
according to which some States cannot become a party to the Convention,
are not in conformity with the universal character of the Convention, the
Presidium of the Revolutionary Council of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan
states that, on the basis of the principle of the sovereign equality of
States, the Convention should remain open to all States.
Albania
The Government of the People's Republic of Albania states
that the provisions of articles V and VII of the Convention on the Non-Applicability
of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity are
unacceptable because, in preventing a number of States from becoming parties
to the Convention, they are discriminatory in nature and thus violate the
principle of the sovereign equality of States and are incompatible with
the spirit and purposes of the Convention.
Belarus
The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic declares that
the provisions of articles V and VII of the Convention on the Non-Applicability
of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity, which
prevent certain States from signing the Convention or acceding to it are
contrary to the principle of the sovereign equality of States.
Bulgaria
The People's Republic of Bulgaria deems it necessary at the
same time to declare that the provisions of articles V and VII of the Convention
on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes
against Humanity, which prevent a number of States from signing the Convention
or acceding to it, are contrary to the principle of the sovereign equality
of States.
Cuba
The Government of the Republic of Cuba declares that it regards
the provisions of articles V and VII of the Convention on the Non-Applicability
of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity as discriminatory
and contrary to the principle of the equality of States.
Czech Republic4
Guinea
The Government of the Republic of Guinea considers that the
dispositions of articles V and VII of the Convention on the Non-Applicability
of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity, adopted
by the General Assembly on 26 November 1968, make it impossible for a number
of States to become parties to the Convention and are therefore of a discriminatory
character which is contradictory to the object and aims of this Convention.
The Government of the Republic of Guinea is of the opinion
that, in accordance with the principle of sovereign equality of States,
the Convention should be open to all States without any discrimination
and limitation.
Hungary
"The Government of the Hungarian People's Republic declares
that the provisions contained in articles V and VII of the Convention on
the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes
against Humanity adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations
on November 26, 1968, which deny the possibility to certain States to become
signatories to the Convention are of discriminatory nature, violate the
principles of sovereign equality of States and are more particularly incompatible
with the objectives and purposes of the said Convention."
Lao People's Democratic Republic
The Lao People's Democratic Republic accedes to the above-mentioned
Convention and undertakes to implement faithfully all its clauses, except
for the provisions of articles V and VII of the Convention on the Non-Applicability
of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity adopted
by the United Nations General Assembly on 26 November 1968, which contravene
the principle of the sovereign equality of States. The Convention should
be open to universal participation in accordance with the purposes and
principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
Mongolia
"The Mongolian People's Republic deems it necessary to state
that the provisions of articles V and VII of the Convention on the Non-Applicability
of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity have
discriminatory nature and seek to preclude certain States from participation
in the Convention and declares that as the Convention deals with matters
affecting the interests of all States it should be open to participation
by all States without any discrimination or restriction."
Poland
"The Polish People's Republic considers that the dispositions
of articles V and VII of the Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory
Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity, adopted by the General
Assembly on the 26th of November 1968, make it impossible for a number
of States to become parties to the Convention and are therefore of a discriminatory
character which is contradictory to the object and aims of this Convention.
The Polish People's Republic is of the opinion that, in
accordance with the principle of sovereign equality of States, the Convention
should be open to all States without any discrimination and limitation."
Romania
The State Council of the Socialist Republic of Romania states
that the provisions of articles V and VII of the Convention on the Non-Applicability
of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity are
not compatible with the principle that multilateral international treaties,
the subject and purpose of which concern the international community as
a whole, should be open for universal participation.
Russian Federation
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics declares that the
provisions of articles V and VII of the Convention on the Non-Applicability
of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity, which
prevent certain States from signing the Convention or acceding to it, are
contrary to the principle of the sovereign equality of States.
Slovakia4
Ukraine
The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic declares that the
provisions of articles V and VII of the Convention on the Non-Applicability
of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity, which
prevent certain States from signing the Convention or acceding to it, are
contrary to the principle of the sovereign equality of States.
Viet Nam
The Government of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam deems
it necessary to state in accordance with the principle of sovereign equality
of States that the Convention should be open to all States without any
discrimination and limitation.
NOTES
1. Resolution 2391 (XXIII),
Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-third Session, Supplement
No. 18 (A/7218), p. 40.
2. The German Democratic Republic
had acceded to the Convention on 27 March 1973 with reservations. For the
text of the reservations, see United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 862,
p. 410. See also note 15 in chapter I.2.
3. The former Yugoslavia had
signed and ratified the Convention on 16 December 1968 and 9 June 1970,
respectively. See also notes 1 regarding "Bosnia and Herzegovina", "Croatia",
"former Yugoslavia", "Slovenia", "The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"
and "Yugoslavia" in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter
of this volume.
4. Czechoslovakia had signed
and ratified the Convention on 21 May 1969 and 13 August 1970, respectively,
with a declaration. For the text of the declaration made upon signature,
see United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 754, p. 124. See also note 12 in
chapter I.2.
5. The formality was effected
by Democratic Yemen. See also note 35 in chapter I.2.