Insanity - national proceedings

Guatemala

Código Procesal Penal 1994

ARTICULO 23. No es imputable:

1o. El menor de edad.

2o. Quien en el momento de la acción u omisión, no posea, a causa de enfermedad mental, de desarrollo psíquico incompleto o retardo o de trastorno mental transitorio, la capacidad de comprender el carácter ilícito del hecho o de determinarse de acuerdo con esa comprensión, salvo que el trastorno mental transitorio, haya sido buscado de propósito por el agente.

ARTICULO 67. Si el delincuente enfermare mentalmente después de pronunciada sentencia, se suspenderá su ejecución, en cuanto a la pena personal. Al recobrar el penado su salud mental cumplirá su pena.

En igual forma se procederá cuando la enfermedad mental sobreviniere hallándose el penado cumpliendo condena.

ARTICULO 87. Se consideran índices de peligrosidad:

1o. La declaración de inimputabilidad.

2o. La interrupción de la ejecución de la pena por enfermedad mental del condenado.

3o. La declaración del delincuente habitual.

4o. El caso de tentativa imposible de delito, prevista en el Artículo 15 de este Código.

5o. La vagancia habitual.

Se entiende por vago el que teniendo aptitud para ejecutar un trabajo remunerable se mantiene habitualmente en holganza, viviendo a costa del trabajo de otros, o de mendicidad, o sin medios de subsistencia conocidos.

6o. La embriaguez habitual.

7o. Cuando el sujeto fuere toxicómano.

8o. La mala conducta observada durante el cumplimiento de la condena.

9o. La explotación o el ejercicio de la prostitución.

Rome Statute

Article 31 Grounds for excluding criminal responsibility

1. In addition to other grounds for excluding criminal responsibility provided for in this Statute, a person shall not be criminally responsible if, at the time of that person's conduct:

(a) The person suffers from a mental disease or defect that destroys that person's capacity to appreciate the unlawfulness or nature of his or her conduct, or capacity to control his or her conduct to conform to the requirements of law;

(b) The person is in a state of intoxication that destroys that person's capacity to appreciate the unlawfulness or nature of his or her conduct, or capacity to control his or her conduct to conform to the requirements of law, unless the person has become voluntarily intoxicated under such circumstances that the person knew, or disregarded the risk, that, as a result of the intoxication, he or she was likely to engage in conduct constituting a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court;

(c) The person acts reasonably to defend himself or herself or another person or, in the case of war crimes, property which is essential for the survival of the person or another person or property which is essential for accomplishing a military mission, against an imminent and unlawful use of force in a manner proportionate to the degree of danger to the person or the other person or property protected. The fact that the person was involved in a defensive operation conducted by forces shall not in itself constitute a ground for excluding criminal responsibility under this subparagraph;

(d) The conduct which is alleged to constitute a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court has been caused by duress resulting from a threat of imminent death or of continuing or imminent serious bodily harm against that person or another person, and the person acts necessarily and reasonably to avoid this threat, provided that the person does not intend to cause a greater harm than the one sought to be avoided. Such a threat may either be:

(i) Made by other persons; or

(ii) Constituted by other circumstances beyond that person's control.