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
NOVEMBER 11, 2006IraqDEATH PENALTYITALY. RE-LAUNCH OF ONLINE COLLECTION OF SIGNATURES FOR “HANDS OFF SADDAM”
an event was held in Rome re-launching the online collection of signatures for the “Hands Off Saddam” campaign and for a UN moratorium on capital executions.
NOVEMBER 8, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTYITALY. SERGIO D’ELIA REPLIES TO QUESTION TIME ON SADDAM DEATH PENALTY
a question time was held at the Foreign Commission of Italy’s Chamber of Deputies regarding the death penalty handed down to Saddam Hussein.
NOVEMBER 7, 2006IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ. PANNELLA READY FOR APPOINTMENT TO SAVE SADDAM FROM EXECUTION
Hands Off Cain President Marco Pannella reaffirmed his availability to be appointed to Iraq in order to save Saddam Hussein from the death penalty, underlining that he would have to be given the task by the Italian government.
- NOVEMBER 6, 2006IraqDEATH PENALTY
Italy urged Iraqi authorities not to execute Saddam Hussein...
Italy urged Iraqi authorities not to execute Saddam Hussein, saying it would be a mistake both ethically and politically.
NOVEMBER 5, 2006IraqDEATH PENALTYSADDAM HUSSEIN. DISGRACE OF THIS DEATH PENALTY FALLS ON EUROPE, HOC
following the death sentence handed down to Saddam Hussein, Sergio D’Elia, Secretary Gen. of Hands Off Cain, and Elisabetta Zamparutti, Treasurer, declared: “A court formed by Shiites and Kurds condemned to death the Sunni Saddam.
OCTOBER 26, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTYITALY. BELATED D’ALEMA CLARIFICATION SERIOUS, HANDS OFF CAIN
the foreign Commission of the Chamber of Deputies held an informal meeting between its Presidency and Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema.
OCTOBER 26, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTYITALY. NO MORATORIUM RESOLUTION THIS YEAR, FOREIGN MINISTER
there should be “European consensus” for a UN resolution for a universal moratorium on executions, said Italy’s Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema.
OCTOBER 19, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTYITALY. GOVERNMENT SHOULD CONSIDER WILL OF PARLIAMENT, CHAMBER PRESIDENT BERTINOTTI
“I consider as very important the unanimous position taken by the Foreign Commission of the Chamber of Deputies regarding the UN moratorium on capital executions. It is the second time in two and a half months that the Lower House has taken such a stance.
OCTOBER 19, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTYITALY. HANDS OFF CAIN REPLIES TO UNDERSECRETARY VERNETTI
Elisabetta Zamparutti, responsible for Hands Off Cain’s UN based initiatives, replies to Undersecretary Vernetti’s comments defining as “adventurous” the presentation of a pro-moratorium resolution at the ongoing UN General Assembly.
OCTOBER 19, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTYITALY. RESOLUTION FOR UN MORATORIUM APPROVED AT LOWER HOUSE
the Foreign Commission of Italy’s Lower House approved a resolution for a UN moratorium on capital executions, despite government opposition.
- OCTOBER 10, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY. RESOLUTION FOR UN MORATORIUM DEPOSITED AT CHAMBER
a resolution was deposited at the Chamber of Deputies’ Foreign Commission asking the government to “fully and immediately put into action” the motion established in Parliament last July 27 to present at the ongoing UN General Assembly a resolution for a U
OCTOBER 10, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTYITALY. DEATH PENALTY ABOLISHED FROM THE CONSTITUTION IN FIRST READING
the Chamber of Deputies approved the first reading of the law repealing all references to the death penalty in Italy’s Constitution.
OCTOBER 10, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTYBRUSSELS. EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARIANS BACK UN MORATORIUM
a group of European Parliamentarians sent a letter to the European Council and to EU Ministers asking they support a moratorium on executions at the UN General Assembly.
OCTOBER 9, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTYITALIAN GOVERNMENT NOT RESPECTING CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, HANDS OFF CAIN
the government should commit itself to presenting a resolution for a moratorium on executions at the ongoing UN General Assembly, even without unanimous support from the European Union. At a press conference held in Rome, Hands Off Cain appealed to the It
SEPTEMBER 25, 2006IndonesiaDEATH PENALTYITALY-INDONESIA. HANDS OFF CAIN ADHERES TO CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY VIGIL
Hands Off Cain announced it would participate in today’s vigil, promoted by Christian Democratic party leader Pierferdinando Casini, outside the Indonesian embassy in Rome.
- SEPTEMBER 20, 2006IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
ITALY-INDONESIA. D'ALEMA TO WIRAJUDA: STOP EXECUTION OF CHRISTIANS
Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema made "a strong appeal" to his Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirajuda to make Jakarta authorities stop the execution of the three Christians sentenced to death in Poso.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTYITALY-CHINA. DEATH PENALTY ISSUE RAISED
“Yesterday and today, we brought up the issue of the death penalty with various members of the government of the People's Republic of China, hoping for a commitment in the reduction of crimes for which it is applicable,” stated Undersecretary for Foreign
SEPTEMBER 18, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA. HUMAN RIGHTS TALKS HAVE BEGUN, ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER
“We have commenced a structured dialogue with China on human rights issues,” stated Italy’s Prime Minister Romano Prodi after meeting his Chinese counterpart Wen Jabao in Beijing. “Dialogue is an important instrument for strengthening the preservation of
- SEPTEMBER 8, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
HANDS OFF CAIN: THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT SHOULD WORK AT THE UN FOR A UNIVERSAL MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS
“Will the death penalty be among the main issues raised by the Italian government at the UN General Assembly?”.
- SEPTEMBER 7, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY. GOVERNMENT SHOULD RAISE HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES WITH CHINA, D’ELIA
Sergio D’Elia, Secretary of Hands Off Cain and MP for the Rose in the Fist Party, made the following declaration:
- JULY 27, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY. GOVERNMENT FOR A UN MORATORIUM ON CAPITAL EXECUTIONS
the Chamber of Deputies unanimously approved the motion presented by Sergio D’Elia, Secretary of Hands Off Cain and MP for the Rosa nel Pugno party, entrusting the government to present the resolution for a moratorium on capital executions at the next UN
JULY 21, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTYITALY. GOVERNMENT WILL BACK UN MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS
“If I had to choose a parameter to show man’s progress towards a more just society, it would have to be that of the death penalty,” stated President of the Senate of the Italian Republic Franco Marini, participating at the presentation of Hands Off Cain’s
JULY 21, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTYITALY. PRESENTATION OF “THE DEATH PENALTY WORLDWIDE 2006 REPORT”
Hands Off Cain presented the 2006 edition of the annual Hands Off Cain Report: “The Death Penalty Worldwide”. The worldwide trend towards abolition, underway for at least a decade, was again confirmed in 2005 and the first half of 2006.
JULY 12, 2006North KoreaDEATH PENALTYITALY. 'PROMOTE HUMAN RIGHTS' IN NORTH KOREA CONFERENCE
the international conference “Promoting human rights and religious freedom in North Korea: where do we go from here?”, organised by Freedom House together with the Transnational Radical Party, was held in Rome.
JUNE 27, 2006IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ. SAVING SADDAM FROM EXECUTION IS OPPORTUNITY FOR ITALY FOLLOWING DECISION TO WITHDRAW TROOPS, ROSE IN THE FIST
“What is the Italian government’s intention regarding the offer made by Marco Pannella for a special appointment to save Saddam from execution, and with Saddam’s life, the life of the rights and the civility which he massacred during 50 years of bloody ru
JUNE 25, 2006IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ. GIVE ME THE APPOINTMENT TO SAVE SADDAM AND HIS EVENTUAL EXECUTIONERS, PANNELLA
Marco Pannella formally asked Italy’s government to be appointed with the objective of saving Saddam Hussein from the death penalty.
- JUNE 19, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ. HANDS OFF CAIN, ''HANDS OFF SADDAM''
“Our Hands Off Cain is also valid for Saddam: thus, ‘hands off Saddam’, which does not equate to non-punishment, but physical wellbeing and human dignity”, stated Secretary and Treasurer of Hands Off Cain Sergio D’Elia and Elisabetta Zamparutti in comment
JUNE 19, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTYIRAQ. ‘NO TO THE DEATH PENALTY FOR SADDAM HUSSEIN’, CAPPATO
“The request put forward by prosecutors to sentence Saddam Hussein to death will not bring justice to the genocides, torture and to the atrocious crimes against the Iraqi population committed by the former Baghdad strongman”.
- JUNE 14, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY. HANDS OFF CAIN WELCOMES FOREIGN MINISTER’S COMMITMENT IN ABOLISHMENT OF DEATH PENALTY
Hands Off Cain appreciates the announcement made today by Italy’s Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema who, whilst expounding the guidelines for Italy’s foreign policy, reaffirmed Italy’s commitments for the abolition of the death penalty worldwide.
- JUNE 12, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
HANDS OFF CAIN: MYTH SURROUNDING HUMANENESS OF LETHAL INJECTION CRACKING, SERGIO D’ELIA
following the US Supreme Court’s decision to allow inmates to challenge lethal injection, Secretary of Hands Off Cain, Sergio D’Elia, declared: “Once again, following the abolition of the death penalty for those with mental retardation, for minors and th