VATICAN CITY
Vatican Information Service
Vatican City, 11 July 2013 (VIS) – The Holy See Press Office has today published the following communique regarding Pope Francis’ Motu Proprio on matters of criminal law in Vatican City State:
“Today His Holiness Pope Francis has issued a Motu proprio on criminal law matters. On this same date, the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State has adopted the following laws: Law No. VIII containing Supplementary Norms on Criminal Law Matters, Law No. IX containing Amendments to the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code, Law No. X containing General Provisions on Administrative Sanctions.
“The Motu proprio makes the criminal laws adopted by the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State applicable also within the Holy See. The criminal laws adopted today are a continuation of the efforts to update Vatican City State’s legal system, building upon the measures adopted since 2010 during the pontificate of Benedict XVI.
“These laws, however, have a broader scope, since they incorporate into the Vatican legal system the provisions of numerous international conventions including: the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, on the conduct of war and war crimes; the 1965 Convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination; the 1984 Convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, the 1989 Convention on the rights of the child and its optional protocols of 2000.
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