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
APRIL 21, 2005SpainDEATH PENALTYCUBA. OLIVIERO TOSCANI’S EXHIBITION ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN CASTRO’S REGIME OPENS IN BARCELONA
to keep public attention on the plight of political prisoners and the repression of dissent in Cuba two years after the wave of crackdowns, HOC and the ‘Fundació Llibertat i Democràcia’ have promoted an exhibition in Barcelona by Oliviero Toscani entitled
- APRIL 20, 2005ItalyDEATH PENALTY
Italy was a cosponsor and voted in favour of the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.
Italy was a cosponsor and voted in favour of the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.
APRIL 18, 2005Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTYGENEVA. EX DEATH ROW INMATE MAKES PLEA FOR A UN MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS
Jean de Dieu Muzaliwa Maroy, former death row inmate in the Democratic Republic of Congo, intervened at the UN Comission on Human Rights representing Hands Off Cain and the Transnational Radical Party.
APRIL 13, 2005ItalyDEATH PENALTYNACDL. 2005 SPRING MEETING AND THE DEATH PENALTY
the NACDL's Spring Meeting will be held in New York from April 14 to April 17, 2005. An important occasion to be involved in the ever-expanding International Criminal Law arena.
APRIL 9, 2005ItalyDEATH PENALTYGENEVA. BRIEFING FOR RELAUNCHING A UN MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS
a briefing entitled: “THE ROLE OF THE UN TOWARD ENDING EXECUTIONS - True Stories and Practical Realities in Africa and the U.S.A.”, will be held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on April 12. The event is organized by Hands Off Cain, the Transnational R
APRIL 7, 2005Council of EuropeDEATH PENALTYCOUNCIL OF EUROPE. FRATTINI PROPOSES EUROPEAN ANTI DEATH PENALTY DAY
speaking in Helsinki at the conference for Ministers of Justice of the Council of Europe, the European Union Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security Franco Frattini relaunched the idea that EU member states should hold a day of protest against the
MARCH 23, 2005ItalyDEATH PENALTYTERRI SCHIAVO. THE VATICAN IS FUNDAMENTALIST ON EVERYTHING BUT THE DEATH PENALTY
the definitive ‘No’ by the Vatican on the question of euthanasia, does not correspond to its definitive ‘No’ against the death penalty,” declared Hands Off Cain Secretary Sergio D’Elia, in a dispute with the Vatican which had written in its daily, the Oss
MARCH 16, 2005CubaDEATH PENALTYCUBA. FOR SOME HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS, IT’S A HAPPY ISLAND, D’ELIA
Hands Off Cain responds to the petition signed by 200 intellectuals in defence of the Cuban regime by bringing at the forefront the grave violations of human rights perpetrated by Castro’s regime.
- MARCH 15, 2005ItalyDEATH PENALTY
UN. ITALIAN UNDERSECRETARY BONIVER CONDEMNS TORTURE
speaking at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, holding its annual meet in Geneva, Italian Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Margherita Boniver condemned torture stating that “no economic, political, cultural, social or religious reason can ju
MARCH 14, 2005ItalyDEATH PENALTYITALY. CALDEROLI’S STATEMENT ON UNABOMBER DANGEROUS, D’ELIA
Hands Off Cain Secretary and Radical Party board member, Sergio D’Elia, warned about the dangerous consequences of Minister Roberto Calderoli’s proposal to offer a reward for the Italian Unabomber and to sentence him to death if caught.
MARCH 4, 2005CroatiaDEATH PENALTYCROATIA. REPRESENTATIVES OF HANDS OFF CAIN AND OF THE TRANSNATIONAL RADICAL PARTY VISIT THE COUNTRY'S PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC
the President of Croatia Stjepan Mesic gave his approval to the initiatives presented by Hands Off Cain and the Transnational Radical Party, engaged in bringing about a universal moratorium on executions, and gave his support to efforts for the obtainment
MARCH 3, 2005CroatiaDEATH PENALTYCROATIA. ROUND TABLE FOR RELAUNCH OF UN MORATORIUM
European states must work towards United Nations approval of an anti death penalty resolution.
MARCH 2, 2005CroatiaDEATH PENALTYCROATIA. HOC PRESENTS THE «AFRICA PROJECT» IN ZAGREB
in light of last year’s session of the UN Commission on Human Rights and the initiative to adopt the UN Resolution for a moratorium on executions, the Governmental Office for Human Rights of the Republic of Croatia has organised a round table discussion o
FEBRUARY 22, 2005SpainDEATH PENALTYSPAIN. SENATE HEAD CALLS FOR UN MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS
Hands Off Cain presented the Spanish edition of its 2004 Report – the Death Penalty Worldwide at the Spanish senate in Madrid.
- FEBRUARY 8, 2005ItalyDEATH PENALTY
during the 3rd congress of the Democrats of the Left...
during the 3rd congress of the Democrats of the Left...
FEBRUARY 6, 2005FranceDEATH PENALTYthe Paris Prefecture has cancelled permits for a demonstration for democracy
the Paris Prefecture has cancelled permits for a demonstration for democracy
- FEBRUARY 3, 2005MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
ITALY. MAN RISKS DEATH PENALTY IF EXTRADITED
Italy’s Interior Minister, Giuseppe Pisanu, put out an extradition order on Moroccan national Mohamed Daki, acquitted of taking part in international terrorism a week previously by a Milan tribunal. The presence of the Moroccan national in Italy constitut
- JANUARY 31, 2005CubaDEATH PENALTY
regarding the EU’s decision to temporarily put an end to diplomatic sanctions...
regarding the EU’s decision to temporarily put an end to diplomatic sanctions...
- JANUARY 1, 2005ItalyDEATH 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.
- DECEMBER 13, 2004United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
LONDON. PETER GABRIEL JOINS HOC APPEAL TO UK GOVERNMENT TO ADOPT UN MORATORIUM CAMPAIGN
Hands Off Cain launched its campaign for a worldwide moratorium on executions through a UN resolution in London.
- DECEMBER 10, 2004ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY. CONCERT IN PADUA FOR A MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS
during a press conference held at Palazzo Moroni on world human rights day, Hands Off Cain presented the anti death penalty performance to be held on Sunday December 12 at 18:00 at the Pollini Auditorium.
- DECEMBER 9, 2004ItalyDEATH PENALTY
a court in Rome is holding up a decision on whether to extradite...
a court in Rome is holding up a decision on whether to extradite...
- DECEMBER 3, 2004ItalyDEATH PENALTY
UNITED NATIONS. THE DEATH PENALTY DEBATE RETURNS TO NEW YORK HEADQUARTERS
the debate on the death penalty was revived in the UN by Hands Off Cain which presented its 2004 report at the UN headquarters in order to relaunch the capital punishment moratorium campaign.
- NOVEMBER 20, 2004ItalyDEATH PENALTY
"We never thought that the person who killed Maria Grazia could be condemned to capital punishment.
- NOVEMBER 20, 2004ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY - Maria Grazia Cutuli's family on the death sentence: "It won't give us back our daughter"
"`We never thought that the person who killed Maria Grazia could be condemned to capital punishment.
- NOVEMBER 10, 2004ItalyDEATH PENALTY
CUBA. “THOUGHT IS FORBIDDEN” IN TURIN
November 10, 2004: the travelling photographic exhibition on human rights violations in Cuba entitled “Thought is forbidden: the face of repression in Cuba” by world-famous photographer Oliviero Toscani will open in Turin on November 12, 2004.
- NOVEMBER 10, 2004ItalyDEATH PENALTY
CUBA. “THOUGHT IS FORBIDDEN” IN TURIN
the travelling photographic exhibition on human rights violations in Cuba entitled “Thought is forbidden: the face of repression in Cuba” by world-famous photographer Oliviero Toscani will open in Turin on November 12, 2004.
- NOVEMBER 8, 2004ItalyDEATH PENALTY
Planet and Jimmy, the satellite TV channels produced...
Planet and Jimmy, the satellite TV channels produced by DIGICAST and distributed by SKY, continue to back Hands Off Cain's campaign by airing the "DIE EASY" TV advertisment
- NOVEMBER 3, 2004SenegalDEATH PENALTY
a civil court in Milan, Italy, gave political asylum to Senegalese national
a civil court in Milan, Italy, gave political asylum to Senegalese national
- OCTOBER 27, 2004ItalyDEATH PENALTY
in Rome, 2 ex-death row convicts later found to be innocent appealed in Rome for...
in Rome, 2 ex-death row convicts later found to be innocent appealed in Rome for...