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
- JANUARY 1, 2012ItalyDEATH 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 6, 2011BelarusDEATH PENALTYBELARUS: ITALY'S FOREIGN MINISTER TERZI ASKS FOR SUSPENSION OF EXECUTIONS
Italy's Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi asked Belarus to suspend the death sentences of the two
OCTOBER 20, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYBONINO: GADDAFI DEATH DENIES JUSTICE
“Gaddafi did not deserve a "beautiful death" in battle, but a "beautiful trial": a fair trial by
OCTOBER 20, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYPANNELLA ON THE DEATH/ASSASSINATION OF GADDAFI: HE CANNOT BE TAKEN TO THE HAGUE TO TESTIFY ABOUT THE GREATEST CRIME IN THE WORLD IN THE LAST TWENTY YEARS
regarding the death of Gaddafi, Marco Pannella, the leader of the Non Violent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty (PRNTT) and Hands Off Cain President, said:
OCTOBER 17, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYHOC: ‘ABOLITIONIST OF THE YEAR 2011' AWARDED TO MONGOLIAN PRESIDENT ELBEGDORJ
the president of the Republic of Mongolia received the Hands Off Cain award for the ''Abolitionist of the Year 2011' for his strong commitment to the application of a moratorium on capital punishment in his country.
OCTOBER 14, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYRWANDA: AFRICAN CONFERENCE AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY CONCLUDES
this afternoon saw the conclusion of the intergovernmental conference in Kigali, Rwanda. The conference
OCTOBER 13, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYRWANDA: AFRICAN CONFERENCE AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY OPENS IN KIGALI
this morning in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, the Inter-African conference against
OCTOBER 10, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYDEATH PENALTY: D'ELIA (HANDS OFF CAIN)- EXECUTION IN EGYPT IS A TERRIBLE SIGN
regarding the execution today in Egypt of Hamam El-Kamouny, Hands Off Cain Secretary
SEPTEMBER 22, 2011GeorgiaDEATH PENALTYUSA: HANDS OFF CAIN- THE USA AND ROGUE NATIONS USE THE DEATH PENALTY
“It isn't great company to be in, countries that still use the death penalty- the Unites States and "rogue
AUGUST 4, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYHANDS OFF CAIN PRESENTS 2011 REPORT ON THE DEATH PENALTY WORLDWIDE
the 2011 Report on the death penalty worldwide, supervised again this year by Elisabetta Zamparutti, was presented at the headquarters of Hands Off Cain. Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, Education Minister and Transitional Tunisian Government spokesperso
AUGUST 4, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYHANDS OFF CAIN: POSITIVE EVOLUTION TOWARDS THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY
the Hands Off Cain 2011 Report, presented today, contains the most important facts regarding the practice of the death penalty in 2010 and the first six months of 2011.
JUNE 24, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYTUNISIA: RADICALS SAY TUNISIA MOVING TOWARDS ABOLITION
Tunisia is moving towards the abolition of the death penalty and joining the International
JUNE 9, 2011IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: TAREQ AZIZ'S SON- END MY FATHER'S SUFFERING
Sentenced to hang in Iraq, Saddam Hussein's ex chief of diplomacy Tareq Aziz has
MAY 6, 2011United StatesDEATH PENALTYBIN LADEN: HANDS OFF CAIN- WE DO NOT SHARE OBAMA'S OPINION
“Regarding Osama Bin Laden, we know too little to say if it was an ‘extra-judicial execution’ or an act of ‘legitimate defence’,” Hands Off Cain Secretary Sergio D’Elia said.
APRIL 8, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: FINAL ASSAULT AGAINST THE MUJAHEDIN IN ASHRAF
"currently in Iraq the final assault is taking place on the anti-regime People's Mujahedin of
MARCH 28, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYNAPOLITANO TELLS UN ITALY WANTS OF END DEATH PENALTY
speaking to the UN's General Assembly, Italy's Giorgio Napolitano reiterated
- MARCH 10, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY: HANDS OFF CAIN - ABOLITION IN ILLINOIS SIGNALS A CHANGE IN ALL THE UNITED STATES
“The abolition of the death penalty in Illinois signals a change in all the United States. It shows
JANUARY 21, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYUSA: HOSPIRA TO STOP MAKING LETHAL-INJECTION DRUG
The sole U.S. maker of a key execution drug has decided to permanently halt production of the drug, which could lead many states to face delay in carrying out the death penalty.
- JANUARY 21, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTY
HANDS OFF CAIN: EXCELLENT DECISION BY HOSPIRA TO CEASE PRODUCTION OF SODIUM THIOPENTAL FOR LETHAL INJECTIONS
Hands Off Cain, the Radical Association which campaigned to prevent sodium thiopental (a drug used
- JANUARY 18, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTY
USA - Connecticut. Benedetto Cipriani, extradited from Italy, was beaten by his cellmate and is in critical condition
USA - Connecticut. Benedetto Cipriani, extradited from Italy, was beaten by his cellmate and is in critical condition
JANUARY 8, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYILLINOIS: HANDS OFF CAIN APPEAL FOR THE SUSPENSION OF GEORGE RYAN'S SENTENCE
“We appeal to your sense of humanity and ask for a moratorium on the six and a half year sentence of ex Illinois Governor George Ryan, half of which he has already served, so that he can be at the bedside of his dying wife Lura,” the Hands Off Cain direct
- JANUARY 1, 2011ItalyDEATH 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 22, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY: THE CHAMBERS APPROVES ZAMPARUTTI MOTION AGAINST PENTOTAL EXPORTATION FOR LETHAL INJECTION
today, the Chamber of Deputies approved the motion presented by Radical parliamentarian
- DECEMBER 20, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALIAN HOSPIRA AFFILIATE GUARANTEE ON PENTOTAL
the Italian heads of American company Hospira have made themselves widely available to collaborate with Italian authorities, accepting that the production and sale of Pentotal will be exclusively authorised for medical purposes.
- DECEMBER 20, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTY
HANDS OFF CAIN: MINISTER FRATTINI ACTS ON PENTOTAL
"We take satisfaction in the commitment by minister Franco Frattini to stop the Pe
- DECEMBER 13, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTY
MINISTER FRATTINI ACTS TO STOP PENTOTAL PRODUCED IN ITALY FROM ENDING UP IN LETHAL INJECTION
Foreign Minister Franco Frattini today met with members from Hands Off Cain and the Sant’Egidio Community to find a solution, with respect to free trade, to prevent pentotal produced in Italy for ending up, directly or indirectly, in jails in the United S
DECEMBER 10, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTYGHANA: HANDS OFF CAIN MISSION FOR ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY CONCLUDES
the Hands Off Cain mission for the abolition of the death penalty in Ghana concluded. The mission was also to convince the country to vote favourably for the pro moratorium resolution in discussion at the United Nations.
DECEMBER 9, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTYGHANA: HANDS OFF CAIN MISSION FOR DEATH PENALTY ABOLITION
After the missions in Zambia, Mali and Congo-Brazaville, the Hands Off Cain campaign for the abolition of the death penalty in Africa continues in Ghana.
- DECEMBER 2, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY: D’ELIA ON HOSPIRA CLARIFICATION, “NO GUARANTEE THAT PENTOTAL PRODUCED IN ITALY WON'T BE USED FOR LETHAL INJECTION
Daniel Rosenberg, manager of Hospira in Lake Forest (Illinois), confirmed in a
DECEMBER 2, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTYHANDS OFF CAIN: LETHAL INJECTION IN USA WITH PENTOTAL PRODUCED IN ITALY
the order to produce Sodium Thiopental destined for US jails arrived directly from the American headquarters, based in Lake Forrest, Illinois, the dossier 'Lethal Trade' presented today in Rome by Hands Off Cain and Reprieve denounced.