American Convention on Human Rights

The American Convention on Human Rights ( ACHR ) was signed in 1969 in San Jose. She went after the last of the eleven signatories, Grenada, ratified it in 1978 into force.

Content and objectives

The declared objective of the Convention after the preamble has been the integration of the continent by the strengthening of democratic institutions and human rights.

In the first chapter the signatory States were obliged to apply the provisions of the Convention to all persons under the jurisdiction of those States. The legislation should be adapted to the Convention. In the second section 23 rights of natural persons such as the freedom of expression and freedom of assembly were listed. The only article of the third chapter deals with the economic and cultural rights.

Additional Protocols

The Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights concerning the abolition of the death penalty from 1990 has been ratified by only eight American states and signed by nine. 2004, there was no signature or ratification.

The Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights allows as an exception to the death penalty in time of war, when states make an appropriate reservation of title.