On the occasion of the World and European Day against the Death Penalty, Italy once again firmly reaffirms its opposition to capital punishment. A cruel, inhuman, and degrading penalty, the death sentence violates human dignity, offers no benefits in terms of security or crime prevention, and renders judicial errors irreversible, with potentially catastrophic consequences.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated: “The abolition of the death penalty is a priority of our human rights agenda. No human being can take the life of another. For decades, Italy has played a leading role in promoting a global moratorium on executions — the first step towards the complete abolition of the death penalty worldwide. We will continue to pursue this fight, together with all civil society actors who work daily to end to this unjust practice”.
Historically, Italy, together with European and international partners, has progressively reduced the number of countries carrying out executions. In 2024, a historic milestone was achieved: 130 States — two-thirds of the world — voted in favour of the UN Resolution for a universal moratorium, presented by Italy and Argentina.
Italy works closely with the European Union and organisations such as Amnesty International, the Community of Sant’Egidio, Nessuno Tocchi Caino, and many others, all committed to defending human rights and dignity.
The fight against the death penalty is one of the key thematic priorities on which Italy intends to focus its efforts within the United Nations Human Rights Council, for which it is a candidate for the 2026–2028 mandate.
