Italy
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1998
Data card
- Legal status
- Abolitionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- NOVEMBER 12, 1998 · On 12 November 1998, Kurd leader Abdullah Ocalan,...
- News items in the archive
- 712
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Italy is classified as Abolitionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 712 news items on Italy, from 1998 to today.
Italy abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes in the Constitution of 1948, removed it from the military penal code of war in 1994 and, in 2007, amended article 27 of the Constitution to delete the last reference to it. Since then it has supported a universal moratorium in international forums.
The Italian news in this archive concerns above all the association's other front: conditions inside places of detention, meaning overcrowding, suicides, access to care, life imprisonment without parole and alternative measures, together with the prison visits the association carries out and publishes reports on.
Latest news
FEBRUARY 1, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTYEP CALLS FOR UNIVERSAL MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY
the European Parliament adopted a joint resolution in favour of a universal moratorium on the death penalty, with 591 votes in favour, 45 against and 31 abstentions.
JANUARY 29, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTYDEATH PENALTY. ITALY APPEALS TO AU TO HELP IMPLEMENT MORATORIUM
Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi appealed to African leaders to help Italy in its attempt to have capital punishment suspended throghout the world. "We have to be pro life and against death in the same way that we are against injustice and suffering,"
JANUARY 24, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTYTHE APPEAL BY THE MAYORS OF EUROPE FOR THE MORATORIUM ON THE DEATH PENALTY
so far, 18 Mayors of European capital cities have signed the Mayor of Rome’s appeal to get the International Community to establish a moratorium on the death penalty as soon as possible, with the ultimate goal being its complete abolition.
JANUARY 24, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTYDEATH PENALTY. THE RADICALS THANK MAYOR VELTRONI
Minister Emma Bonino, the directors of Hands Off Cain Marco Pannella, Sergio D'Elia and Elisabetta
JANUARY 23, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER DEFENDS EXECUTIONS
following talks with his Italian counterpart, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari defended the execution of Saddam Hussein and other former Iraqi officials, which prompted Italy to lead a push for a worldwide moratorium against the death penalty.
- JANUARY 17, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
VELTRONI WANTS SUPPORT OF EUROPEAN MAYORS FOR MORATORIUM AGAINST DEATH PENALTY
“I want to convince the Mayors of all European cities to take a stand and keep up the battle against the death penalty,” Walter Veltroni, the Mayor of Rome, said.
JANUARY 16, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTYWRITTEN DECLARATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT FOR A UNIVERSAL MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS
the leaders of all political groups of the European Parliament, with the exception of the extreme right, have signed a declaration for a universal moratorium on capital punishment in view of its abolition.
- JANUARY 15, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ. D'ELIA: ANOTHER CONTRIBUTION TO THE ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE, UN MORATORIUM NEEDED IMMEDIATELY
Sergio D'Elia, Secretary of Hands Off Cain
- JANUARY 15, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
BARROSO AND PRODI CONDEMN IRAQ HANGINGS
the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso
- JANUARY 10, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY LEADS CAMPAIGN AGAINST DEATH PENALTY
all Italian political parties are backing the decision "to campaign at the United Nations for a global ban on the death penalty" announced by Prime Minister Romano Prodi. "No crime can justify one person killing another," Prodi said.
JANUARY 10, 2007GreeceDEATH PENALTYMORATORIUM. SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL BACKS ITALIAN INITIATIVE
main opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) leader George Papandreou had a telephone
JANUARY 9, 2007Council of EuropeDEATH PENALTYCOUNCIL OF EUROPE BACKS ITALY’S CALLS FOR MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS
Italy and the Council of Europe are working together to gather as much support as possible for a United Nations General Assembly based initiative for a worldwide moratorium on executions with view to full abolition of the death penalty.
JANUARY 8, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTYITALIAN GOVERNMENT MUST GO AHEAD WITH MORATORIUM INITIATIVE, BONINO
“Pannella’s initiative, taken on by the government and by [Foreign] Minister D’Alema, must find a way to carry on,” said Emma Bonino, Italian Minister for European Policies and International Trade, commenting on the initiative for a universal moratorium o
- JANUARY 6, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY. ROME COLOSSEUM IN LIGHTS TO PROTEST DEATH PENALTY
Rome lit up the arches of its ancient Colosseum at dusk to protest against the death penalty after Saddam Hussein's hanging, with the mayor calling it the city's symbol to the world for human rights.
- JANUARY 4, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
USA: ‘NEW HOPE FOR THE BARBARITY TO END’ SAYS NEW YORK EX GOVERNOR
“The Italian act is beautiful and noble. It showed courage and was the right thing to do, even if noone else supports it. The request for a UN moratorium on the death penalty gives hope to millions of people around the world who, like me, want the barbari
- JANUARY 4, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY CALLS FOR UNITED EUROPEAN FRONT AGAINST DEATH PENALTY
the Italian government said it will campaign to abolish the death penalty worldwide, using its position as one of 15 UN Security Council members. It wants the European Union to support its efforts.
- JANUARY 3, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALIA. MASTELLA WILL PROPOSE MORATORIUM TO EU MINISTERS
Justice Minister Clemente Mastella wants to bring the important issue of the death penalty to the attention of the European Union.
- JANUARY 1, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY. PRESIDENT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MAKES APPEAL FOR AMINA
President of the Italian Senate’s Human Rights Commission, Enrico Pianetta (Forza Italia), appealed to Yemen’s President, Ali Abdallah Saleh, for immediate clemency to be granted to Amina Ali Abdulatif Al Tuhaif, sentenced to death in Yemen for having par
- JANUARY 1, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
Italy became totally abolitionist in 1994, when the death penalty was abolished from the Military Codes.
Italy became totally abolitionist in 1994, when the death penalty was abolished from the Military Codes.
- JANUARY 1, 2007BrazilDEATH PENALTY
D'ALEMA MEETS LULA IN BRASIL: UN MORATORIUM A BATTLE THAT CONTINUES
The fight for the UN moratorium against the death penalty "is an ongoing one," said Massimo D'Alema, Foriegn Minister on Tg 1. D’Alema is in Brasil for talks with re-elected president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
- DECEMBER 27, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
INTINI CRITICISES SADDAM'S DEATH SENTENCE
Italy’s deputy foreign minister Ugo Intini stigmatised the news of Saddam Hussein's death sentence...
- DECEMBER 27, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY. SADDAM: DEATH SENTENCE NEVER A SOLUTION, MASTELLA
"I express my firm and decisive 'no' to the death sentence, which can never be considered to be a solution...
DECEMBER 20, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTYHOC. EU DECLARATION UNSATISFACTORY
on the presentation by the EU of the Declaration on the death penalty at the United Nations General Assembly, Secretary of Hands Off Cain Sergio D’Elia and Treasurer Elisabetta Zamparutti made the following declaration:
DECEMBER 20, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTYEU. DEATH PENALTY DECLARATION PRESENTED AT UNGA
a declaration on the death penalty was presented at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The declaration was prepared by the EU on Italy’s initiative and was undersigned by 85 UN member states.
- DECEMBER 19, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
HOC. NO TO RANSOM FOR MEDICS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN LIBYA
Secretary of Hands Off Cain Sergio D’Elia and Elisabetta Zamparutti, treasurer, made the following declaration in relation to the case of the five Bulgarian medics and the Palestinian doctor sentenced to death in Libya:
DECEMBER 16, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTYLETHAL INJECTION. THERE IS NO HUMAN METHOD OF EXECUTION, D’ELIA
on the execution by lethal injection of Angel Nives Diaz, who died in Florida following 34 minutes of agony, Sergio D’Elia, MP for the Rose in the Fist Party and Secretary of Hands Off Cain, declared:
DECEMBER 15, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTYRADICAL PARTY. LAUNCH OF 2007 REGISTRATION CAMPAIGN
a press conference was held in Rome to mark the launch of the 2007 campaign for membership to the Radical Party and its umbrella organisations, including Hands Off Cain, to further the battle for civil and human rights.
NOVEMBER 30, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTYSAATCHI & SAATCHI AIDS HANDS OFF CAIN WITH ONLINE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY
Saatchi & Saatchi has created a banner for the collection of signatures in favour of a UN moratorium on executions and for the “Hands Off Saddam” appeal.
- NOVEMBER 30, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ROME. PRESENTATION OF “AN EYE FOR AN EYE” BY SANDRO VERONESI
on Cities for Life Day the book “An Eye for An Eye” by Sandro Veronesi was presented in Rome at Hands Off Cain headquarters.
NOVEMBER 16, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTYITALY. 2007 MORATORIUM RESOLUTION OUR OBJECTIVE, FOREIGN MINISTER
“We are gathering support with the European Union for the abrogation of the death penalty and a universal moratorium on capital executions.