government: republic

state of civil and political rights: Partly free

constitution: 23 December 2001

legal system: new code incorporates French and Islamic law

legislative system: unicameral Assembly of the Union

judicial system: Supreme Court, two members are appointed by the president, two members are elected by the Federal Assembly, one by the Council of each island, and former presidents of the republic

religion: Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

death row: 6 (as of 17 November 2014, in the Moroni prison, according to the General Prosecutor Mahammoud Soilihi)

year of last executions: 0-0-1997

death sentences: 0

executions: 0

situation:
Aggravated murder, treason and spying are capital crimes.
The legal system incorporates Islamic law as well as French legal codes.
Comoros has endured more than 20 coups, or attempted coups, since gaining independence from France in 1975.
In 2000, the three islands - Moheli, Anjouan and Grande Comore – negotiated the Fomboni Accords, a power-sharing agreement, in which the federal presidency rotates among the three islands and each island maintains its own local government.
On his election in 1996, then president Mohamed Taki Abdoulkarin announced that people found guilty of murder could be condemned to death according to Islamic law.
The first execution since the country became independent in 1975 was carried out on September 18, 1996. Another execution was reported in 1997. There were six death row inamtes in the Moroni prison on 17 November 2014, according to General Prosecutor Mahammoud Soilihi.


United Nations
On 31 January 2014, the Comoros was reviewed under the Universal Periodic Review of the UN Human Rights Council. In its responses to the recommendations received, the Government accepted those to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at abolishing the death penalty, as a step towards accelerating the approval of the new draft Penal Code and the draft Criminal Procedure Code that would include the abolition of the death penalty. The Comorian delegation said the country had been strengthening its legal arsenal through the submission to Parliament of draft legislation on the reform of the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure. The bill on the revision of the Criminal Code provided for the abolition of the death penalty. Comoros informed that the draft Criminal Code had already been adopted by the law commission of the National Assembly, and that the plenary would adopt the law soon.
On December 19, 2016, Comoros abstained on the Resolution on a Moratorium on the Use of the Death Penalty at the UN General Assembly as in 2010, 2012 and 2014. In 2007 and 2008 Comoros voted against.