On October 3, 2001 Paraguay became the 133rd party to the Genocide Convention (2004 Update)

A total of 133 nations are now party to the Convention, but over 50 nations - including Indonesia, Japan and Nigeria - are not yet parties to the Genocide Convention

List of parties to the Convention (UN status report)
Nations NOT party to the Genocide Convention (this website)

Article XI: "After 1 January 1950, the present Convention may be acceded to on behalf of any Member of the United Nations and of any non-member State which has received an invitation as aforesaid. Instruments of accession shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations."

Article XIII: "Any ratification or accession effected, subsequent to the latter date shall become effective on the ninetieth day following the deposit of the instrument of ratification or accession."

On October 3, 2001 Paraguay, deposited instruments of ratification with the United Nations. This ratification brings the total number of parties to the Convention to 133. Over fifty years ago Paraquay signed the Convention on December 11, 1948, the first day the Convention was open for signature.

On September 9, 2000 Guinea and Switzerland, deposited instruments of accession with the United Nations during the UN Millennium Summit. Guinea, a West African country north of Liberia and Sierra Leone, also signed the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court during the Millennium Summit on September 8, 2000. Switzerland, the only major nation not a member of the United Nations, had earlier signed the Rome Statue on July 18, 1998.

Swiss accession to the Genocide Convention was approved in December 1999 by the Swiss Federal Council. Before this action, however, a Swiss court threw out the charge of genocide on April 13, 1999 in the trial of Fulgence Niyonteze, because the crime of genocide was not then part of Swiss law. The Rwandan mayor, who took asylum in Switzerland in 1994, was tried instead for murder and incitement to murder. Along with accession to the Convention, Switzerland has since added the crime of genocide to the nation's penal code, the military penal code and the federal penal procedure.

During 1999 two nations deposited instruments of accession with the United Nations: Portugal on February 9 and Uzbekistan on September 9.

During 1998 four nations deposited instruments of accession with the United Nations: Belize on March 10, Kazakhstan on August 26, Bangladesh on October 5, and South Africa on December 10.

List of nation which are parties to the Genocide Convention (UNHCHR status report)