Domestic implementation of international criminal law
Republic of Paraguay
Domestic Legislation | Truth and Justice Commission | Judicial Decisions | Resources and Links
Crimes Crime of Aggression
Article 271 of the Penal Code of the Republic of Paraguay proscribes the preparation of a war of agression against other nations:
"Article 271.- Preparation of a war of aggression
See:
1) Whoever prepares a war of aggression in which the Republic is the aggressor, will be punished with deprivation of liberty for a term not exceeding ten years.
2) In these cases, the attempt will also be punished."
[Free translation by Equipo Nizkor]
Código Penal. Ley Nº 1.160/97. (Law No. 1160/97, Penal Code).
Gaceta Oficial de la República del Paraguay, Núm. 142 (Bis), Asunción, 01 diciembre 1997. [SPA]Crimes Against Humanity
➤ Crimes against humanity are defined in article 18 of the Law No. 5877/2017 implementing the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. See:
Ley No. 5877/2017 que Implementa el Estatuto de Roma que crea la Corte Penal Internacional. (Law No. 5877/2017 implementing the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, 2017). 16 agosto 2017 (Fecha Promulgación: 28 septiembre 2017). [SPA]. [Edition in Progress]
➤ In addition, the Republic of Paraguay ratified the Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance on 03 August 2010. Article 5 of the said Convention stipulates:"The widespread or systematic practice of enforced disappearance constitutes a crime against humanity as defined in applicable international law and shall attract the consequences provided for under such applicable international law."
In turn, Article 141 of the Constitution of Paraguay provides:"Article 141: Of International Treaties
Article 137 of the Constitution states:
International treaties validly celebrated, approved by [a] law of the Congress, and whose instruments of ratification were exchanged or deposited, are part of the internal legal order with the hierarchy determined in Article 137.""Article 137: Of the Supremacy of the Constitution
[Full text of the Constitution in English available under the "Resources and Links" section below.]
The supreme law of the Republic is the Constitution. [The Constitution], the treaties, conventions and international agreements approved and ratified, the laws dictated by the Congress and other juridical provisions of inferior hierarchy, sanctioned in consequence, integrate the positive national law [derecho positivo] in the enounced order of preference [prelación].
Whoever attempts to change that order, outside [al margen de] the procedures specified in this Constitution, would incur in the crimes that will be classified and punished in the law.
This Constitution will not lose its force or stop being observed because of acts of force nor may [it] be abrogated [derogada] by any other means different from the ones it provides [dispone].
All the provisions or acts of authority opposed to that established in this Constitution lack validity [validez]."
The definition of enforced disappearance is found in Article 236 of the Penal Code. Its current wording is provided by Law Nº 4614 amending the Penal Code in respect of the crimes of enforced disappearance and torture, of 22 May 2012. [Full text in Spanish available under the "Resources and Links" section below].
Victims of the 1954-1989 Stroessner Dictatorship / Truth and Justice Commission:
The Truth and Justice Commission of Paraguay was established by means of Law Nº 2225 of 15 October 2003. The Commission's work started in June 2004 and ended in August 2008. The commission was responsible for the investigation and the historical record of the human rights violations that occurred between 1954 and the date of enactment of law creating it. In accordance with this law, the Commission focused its work on cases of human rights violations that occurred during this period, in particular on:a) forced disappearances.
The said acts amount to crimes against humanity if committed against civilians in a systematic or widespread manner. In fact, The Truth and Justice Commission concluded that "[T]he regime stronista was a totalitarian dictatorship that, through a policy of State terrorism put into practice by its repressive apparatus, committed serious human rights violations, many of which constitute crimes against humanity because of their widespread and systematic nature. For these reasons the Paraguayan case can be qualified as a case of 'International responsibility aggravated by State crime', as did the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (see Case of Goiburú et al. v. Paraguay)." [Informe Final de la Comisión de Verdad y Justicia, Ed. J C Medina, Asunción, Paraguay, 2008, Tomo I, p. 41, párr. 44]. See:
b) extrajudicial executions.
c) torture and other serious injuries.
d) exiles.
e) other serious human rights violations.
Ley Nº 2225 por la cual se crea la Comisión de Verdad y Justicia. (Law No. 2225 establishing the Truth and Justice Commission).
15 octubre 2003. [SPA]
Ley Nº 838 que indemniza a víctimas de violaciones de derechos humanos durante la dictadura de 1954 a 1989. (Law No. 838 for compensation of victims of the Dictatorship).
12 septiembre 1996. [SPA]
[Subsequent modifications of this law available under the "Resources and Links" section below]Genocide
➤ Genocide is defined in Title IX (Punishable Facts against Peoples), Unique Chapter (Genocide and War Crimes), Article 319 of the Penal Code of the Republic of Paraguay. See:
Código Penal. Ley Nº 1.160/97. (Law No. 1160/97, Penal Code).
Gaceta Oficial de la República del Paraguay, Núm. 142 (Bis), Asunción, 01 diciembre 1997. [SPA]
➤ Genocide is also defined in article 14 of the Law No. 5877/2017 implementing the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Also, Article 15 of this Law punishes the incitement to commit genocide. See:
Ley No. 5877/2017 que Implementa el Estatuto de Roma que crea la Corte Penal Internacional. (Law No. 5877/2017 implementing the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, 2017). 16 agosto 2017 (Fecha Promulgación: 28 septiembre 2017). [SPA]. [Edition in Progress] War Crimes
➤ War Crimes are defined in Title IX (Punishable Facts against Peoples), Unique Chapter (Genocide and War Crimes), Article 320 of the Penal Code of the Republic of Paraguay. See:
Código Penal. Ley Nº 1.160/97. (Law No. 1160/97, Penal Code).
Gaceta Oficial de la República del Paraguay, Núm. 142 (Bis), Asunción, 01 diciembre 1997. [SPA]
➤ War crimes are also defined in articles 19-23 of the Law No. 5877/2017 implementing the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. See:
Ley No. 5877/2017 que Implementa el Estatuto de Roma que crea la Corte Penal Internacional. (Law No. 5877/2017 implementing the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, 2017). 16 agosto 2017 (Fecha Promulgación: 28 septiembre 2017). [SPA]. [Edition in Progress]
Related documents:
Decreto Nº 5684 por el cual se asigna a la Dirección de Asuntos Jurídicos, Derechos Humanos y Derecho Internacional Humanitario, las funciones de Oficina Nacional de Información en Caso de Conflicto Armado. (Decree No. 5684 on the establishment of a National Information Bureau in case of Armed Conflict). 22 diciembre 2010. [SPA]
Ley Nº 2.365 que modifica la Ley Nº 993 del 6 de agosto de 1928 "que prohibe el uso del nombre, distintivos y emblemas de la Cruz Roja". (Law No. 2.365 ameding Law No. 993 of 1928 prohibiting the use of the name, distinctive signals and emblems of the Red Cross, 2004). 23 abril 2004. [SPA]
Decreto Nº 5926 que modifica y amplia el Decreto nº 8802 de fecha 12 de mayo de 1995 "por el cual se crea una Comisión Interministerial de aplicación del Derecho Internacional Humanitario". (Decree No. 5926 amending Decree No. 8802 on the creation of the Interministerial Committee for the Application of International Humanitarian Law, 2001). 28 diciembre 2001. [SPA]
Resolución ministerial Nº 427 por la cual se organiza la Dirección de Derechos Humanos y Derecho Internacional Humanitario. (Ministerial Resolution No. 427 organizing the Directorate of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, 2000). 12 septiembre 2000. [SPA]
Decreto Nº 9899 que crea la Dirección de Derechos Humanos y Derecho Internacional Humanitario, dependiente del Ministerio de Defensa Nacional. (Decree No. 9899 creating the Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Directorate under the Ministry of National Defense, 2000). 03 agosto 2000. [SPA]
Decreto Nº 8802 por el cual se crea la Comisión Interministerial de aplicación del Derecho Internacional Humanitario. (Decree No. 8802 on the creation of the Interministerial Committee for the Application of International Humanitarian Law, 1995). 12 mayo 1995. [SPA]
Jurisdiction ➤ According to Article 8.1.6 of the Penal Code, the Paraguayan Penal Law shall apply to the crime of genocide when committed abroad, since this offense entails the violation of legal interests that enjoy universal protection. It also applies, pusuant to Article 8.1.7, to "punishable acts that the Republic, by virtue of a valid international treaty, is obliged to pursue even when they have been committed abroad". See:
Ley N° 3.440, que modifica varias disposiciones de la Ley N° 1.160/97, Código Penal. (Law No. 3.440, amending the Penal Code, including Article 8).
Gazeta Oficial de la República del Paraguay, Nº 160, Asunción, 20 agosto 2008. [SPA]
Código Penal. Ley Nº 1.160/97. (Law No. 1160/97, Penal Code).
Gaceta Oficial de la República del Paraguay, Núm. 142 (Bis), Asunción, 01 diciembre 1997. [SPA]
➤ The jurisdictional regime for crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes can also be found in Articles 5, 6, 7 and 13 of the Law No. 5877/2017 implementing the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. This Law also contains common provisions to all three categories of crimes: Non-applicability of statutory limitations, including for the crime of aggresion, in Article 4; the Aut dedere, aut judicare obligation in Article 8; prohibition of granting of asylum and refuge, in Article 9; prohibition of amnesties, in Article 10; no possibility to invoke due obedience or exceptional circumstances as a defense, in Article 11, and the principle of command responsibility, in Article 11. See:
Ley No. 5877/2017 que Implementa el Estatuto de Roma que crea la Corte Penal Internacional. (Law No. 5877/2017 implementing the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, 2017). 16 agosto 2017 (Fecha Promulgación: 28 septiembre 2017). [SPA]. [Edition in Progress]
International Criminal Court
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court: The Republic of Paraguay signed the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court on 07 October 1998 and deposited its instrument of ratification on 14 May 2001.
On 16 August 2017, the Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay unanimously approved the draft implementing legislation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The implementing bill, Law No. 5877/2017, was promulgated on 28 september 2017. This Law implements Law No. 1663, approving the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, of 17 April 2001.
[The text in Spanish of Law No. 1663 Approving the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, of 17 April 2001, is available under the "Resources and Links" section below.]
Ley No. 5877/2017 que Implementa el Estatuto de Roma que crea la Corte Penal Internacional. (Law No. 5877/2017 implementing the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, 2017). 16 agosto 2017 (Fecha Promulgación: 28 septiembre 2017). [SPA]. [Edition in Progress]
- Under Construction -
Constitution of the Republic of Paraguay. (1992 with Amendments through 2011).
Comparative Constitutions Project, University of Texas at Austin. [ENG]. [Last accessed 22Jan18]. [External Link to pdf document]
Constitución de la República de Paraguay, 1992.
Junta Municipal de Encarnación, Paraguay. [SPA]. [Last accessed 12Jan18]. [External Link]
Ley N° 1663 que Aprueba el Estatuto de Roma de la Corte Penal Internacional. (Law 1663 Approving the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, Apr. 17, 2001)
Corte Suprema de Justicia, Paraguay. [SPA]. [Last accessed 12Jan18]. [External Link to pdf document]
Código Penal e historial de modificaciones. (Penal Code and amending legislation).
Alianza Consultores Tributarios. [SPA]. [Last accessed 23Jan18]. [External Link]
Ley Nº 4628 que modifica el art. 229 de la Ley Nº 1160/97 "Código Penal", modificado por la Ley Nº 3440/08. 29 junio 2012. (Law Nº 4628 amending the Penal Code).
Cámara de Diputados. [SPA]. [Last accessed 22Jan18]. [External Link to pdf document]
Ley Nº 4614 que modifica los arts. 236 y 309 de la Ley Nº 1160/97 "Código Penal". 22 mayo 2012. (Law Nº 4614 amending the Penal Code in respect of the crimes of enforced disappearance and torture).
Cámara de Diputados. [SPA]. [Last accessed 22Jan18]. [External Link to pdf document]
Proyecto de Ley que modifica los arts. 128, 132, 133, 135, 137 y deroga los arts. 130 y 131 del Código Penal Paraguayo. 8 marzo 2011. (Draft Law amending the Penal Code).
Cámara de Diputados. [SPA]. [Last accessed 22Jan18]. [External Link to pdf document]
Código Procesal Penal. Ley Nº 1286/98. (Code of Criminal Procedure)
Corte Suprema de Justicia, República del Paraguay. [SPA]. [Last accessed 22Jan18]. [External Link to pdf document]
Código Penal Militar del Paraguay. Ley Nº 843/1980, 19 diciembre 1980. (Military Penal Code).
Cámara de Diputados. [SPA]. [Last accessed 22Jan18]. [External Link to pdf document]
Código de Procedimiento Penal Militar en Tiempo de Paz y de Guerra del Paraguay. Ley Nº 844/1980, 19 diciembre 1980. (Code of Military Criminal Procedure in Times of Peace and War).
Cámara de Diputados. [SPA]. [Last accessed 22Jan18]. [External Link to pdf document]
Gaceta Oficial de la República del Paraguay. (Oficial State Gazette)
Direccióon de Publicaciones Oficiales, Presidencia de la República. [SPA]. [Last accessed 22Jan18]. [External Link]
Búsqueda de Leyes. (Legislation Database)
Cámara de Diputados. [SPA]. [Last accessed 22Jan18]. [External Link]
Base Legislativa. (Legislation Database)
Corte Suprema de Justicia. [SPA]. [Last accessed 23Jan18]. [External Link]
Constitución, Convenios y Códigos. (Constitution, Treaties and Codes)
Alianza Consultores Tributarios. [SPA]. [Last accessed 23Jan18]. [External Link]
List of International Humanitarian Law Treaties to which Paraguay is a State party.
International Committee of the Red Cross. [ENG]. [Last accessed 12Jan18]. [External Link]
Human Rights in Paraguay:
Informes sobre Derechos Humanos.
Derechos Human Rights and Equipo Nizkor. [SPA]. [Last accessed 22Jan18]
Museo de la Justicia, Centro de Documentación y Archivo para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos. (Center of Documentation and Archives for the Defense of Human Rights).
Corte Suprema de Justica, República del Paraguay. [SPA]. [Last accessed 22Jan18]. [External Link]
Los Archivos del Horror del Operativo Cóndor. Por Stella Calloni
Derechos Human Rights and Equipo Nizkor. [SPA]. [Last accessed 23Jan18]
Goiburu et al. case:
Case of Goiburú et al. v. Paraguay, Merits, Reparations and Costs. Judgment of September 22, 2006. Series C No. 153.
I/A Court H.R. [ENG]. [Last accessed 23Jan18]. [External Link to pdf document]
Caso Goiburú y otros Vs. Paraguay, Fondo, Reparaciones y Costas. Sentencia de 22 de septiembre de 2006. Serie C No. 153.
Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos. [SPA]. [Last accessed 22Jan18]. [External Link to pdf document]
Truth and Justice Commission:
Ley Nº 2225 por la cual se crea la Comisión de Verdad y Justicia.
Equipo Nizkor. [Last accessed 23Jan18]. [SPA]
Informe Final de la Comisión de Verdad y Justicia.
Defensoría del Pueblo. [SPA]. [Last accessed 23Jan18]. [External Link]
Informe de Cumplimiento de las recomendaciones de la Comisión de Verdad y Justicia.
Defensoría del Pueblo. [SPA]. [Last accessed 23Jan18]. [External Link to pdf document]
Dirección General de Verdad, Justicia y Reparación.
Defensoría del Pueblo. [SPA]. [Last accessed 23Jan18]. [External Link]
Compensation to Victims of the 1954-1989 Dictatorship:
Indemnización a Víctimas de la Dictadura de 1954 a 1989.
Defensoría del Pueblo. [SPA]. [Last accessed 23Jan18]. [External Link]
Proyecto de Ley que modifica la Ley Nº 838/96 que indemniza a víctimas de violaciones de derechos humanos durante la dictadura de 1954 a 1989.
Cámara de Diputados. [SPA]. [Last accessed 23Jan18]. [External Link to pdf document]
Ley Nº 4381 de 11 de agosto de 2011 que modifica los artículos 1 y 3 de la Ley 838/96 "Que indemniza a víctimas de violaciones de Derechos Humanos durante la dictadura de 1954 a 1989" y sus modificatorias.
Cámara de Diputados. [SPA]. [Last accessed 23Jan18]. [External Link to pdf document]
Ley Nº 3075, de 14 de noviembre de 2006, que modifica el Artículo 1º de la Ley 2494/04 "Que Indemniza a la Víctimas de Violaciones de Derechos Humanos durante la Dictadura de 1954 a 1989".
Cámara de Diputados. [SPA]. [Last accessed 23Jan18]. [External Link to pdf document]