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
SEPTEMBER 29, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYDEATH PENALTY. FRATTINI: NEW RESOLUTION ON MORATORIUM SOON
Foreign Affairs Minister Franco Frattini said that Italy will promote a new UN resolution to confirm the moratorium on the death penalty that was approved last December by the United Nations General Assembly and to push countries that still employ the dea
- SEPTEMBER 24, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY. CHAMBER RATIFIES PROTOCOL NO 13
the Chamber of Deputies approved the draft law for ratifiying Protocol No 13 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Liberties, concerning the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances
SEPTEMBER 24, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYDEATH PENALTY. ZAMPARUTTI- PROTOCOL NO 13 RATIFICATION GOOD, BUT COMMITMENT REQUIRED TO STRENGTHEN UN RESOLUTION
regarding the Chamber of Deputies' ratification of Protocol No 13 of the European Convention for the protection of human rights and fundamental liberties, Democratic Party Radical Parliamentarian Elisabetta Zamparutti said: "The vote today is the final po
SEPTEMBER 17, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYITALY-LIBYA: RADICALS- THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD REPORT IN PARLIAMENT ON THE AGREEMENT WITH GHADDAFI
"In forty years of absolute power, Colonel Ghaddafi's regime has been characterised by the persecution of every type of political dissent, by the systematic repression of the free opinions of individuals and associations not acknowledged by the regime, by
- SEPTEMBER 15, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY: D'ELIA- INCREASE EFFORT TO ATTAIN ABOLITION
"We need to increase our efforts to consolidate these results and move from a moratorium to the abolition of the death penalty," Hands Off Cain Secretary Sergio D'Elia said in response to Ban Ki-Moon's report on the death penalty around the world.
AUGUST 30, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYBONINO: UN ENVOY NEEDED TO APPLY THE RESOLUTION
‘The moratorium was achieved, now it needs to be applied,' Emma Bonino, Senate Vice President, said during a television interview.
AUGUST 25, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTYL'AQUILA. ELA GANDHI SIGNS MARCO PANNELLA'S ‘MORATORIUM ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, EVEN FOR TAREQ AZIZ’ APPEAL
Ela Gandhi signed the appeal for Marco Pannella's non violent initiative for the 'Moratorium on capital punishment, even for Tareq Aziz'.
JULY 24, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYHANDS OFF CAIN PRESENTS 2008 ANNUAL REPORT
during the ceremony for the “Abolitionist of the Year 2008” Award, Hands Off Cain presented its 2008 Report on the Death Penalty Worldwide.
JULY 24, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYPRODI HONOURED WITH “ABOLITIONIST OF THE YEAR” AWARD
Romano Prodi, the ex-President of the Council of the Italian Government, was presented with “The Abolitionist of the Year 2008” Award by Hands Off Cain. The award recognises the person who, above all others, demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the
JULY 24, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYPANNELLA: HUNGER STRIKE TO SAVE TAREQ AZIZ
at the presentation of the Hands Off Cain 2008 Report on the Death Penalty Worldwide, Marco Pannella used the occasion to promote his “Moratorium on the death penalty also for Tareq Aziz” campaign. Mr Pannella has been on a hunger strike since midnight, J
- JULY 23, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY: FUN FAIR ELECTRIC CHAIR
children's and consumer rights associations called for a Milan fun fair to remove its new simulation of a prisoner being executed by electric chair.
- JULY 23, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTY
EXECUTION AT FUN PARK: HANDS OFF CAIN, DEMENTED AND DEVASTATING
“It’s a demented and culturally devastating attraction, which undoes years of work on the part of those struggling against the death penalty.”
JULY 18, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYITALY: DRAFT LAW- COUNCIL OF MINISTERS RATIFY EU CONVENTION
the Council of Ministers approved the proposal by Franco Frattini, the Foreign Affairs Minister, and Angelino Alfano, the Justice Minister, concerning a draft law for the ratification of Protocol 13 of the European Convention for the protection of human
JULY 14, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYIRAQ. MECACCI AND PERDUCA: SEND A FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMISSION DELEGATION TO VISIT TAREQ AZIZ
Radical-PD Parliamentarians Matteo Mecacci and Marco Perduca wrote a letter to the Presidents of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chamber and the Senate asking them to start all the practical necessities for sending a delegation to Iraq “with the utm
JULY 10, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYEP. RESOLUTION IN FAVOUR OF TROY DAVIS ADOPTED
the European Parliament adopted a resolution proposed by the Radicals and reaffirmed their active
JULY 6, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ. PANNELLA, HUNGER STRIKE AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY FOR TAREQ AZIZ
as of tonight, Marco Pannella is on a hunger strike against the likely death sentence and execution of Tareq Aziz, ex vice prime minister of the deposed Iraqi regime.
- JULY 2, 2008GeorgiaDEATH PENALTY
EP. CAPPATO AND PANNELLA ASK FOR THE SUSPENSION OF TROY DAVIS’ DEATH SENTENCE
Radical Euro Parliamentarians Marco Cappato and Marco Pannella are as
JUNE 25, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYDRUGS. RADICALS AND ASSOCIATIONS, DEATH PENALTY EXISTS FOR POSSESSION
the Italian Radicals, the Forum Droghe Association and dozens of non profit organisations and unions
JUNE 5, 2008TunisiaDEATH PENALTYTERRORISM. MARONI, NO OBSTACLES TO SABER’S EXPULSION
Internal Affairs Minister Roberto Maroni said there were no “obstacles” in adopting
- JUNE 4, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTY
TERRORISM. HANDS OFF CAIN- SABER’S EXPULSION SERIOUS
the expulsion of Saber, the Tunisian citizen held for Islamic extremism, 'is for propaganda' and above all is 'serious because it happened in total contempt of the rules and guarantees of the international accords to which Italy adheres.' This was the pos
MAY 27, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYLIBERAL INTERNATIONAL. RESOLUTION FOR WORLDWIDE PROHIBITION OF PERSECUTION AGAINST HOMOSEXUALS
thanks to a proposal by the Radicals, the Liberal International approved the resolution for the prohibition of persecution and discrimination based on sexual orientation.
MAY 9, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYITALY/LIBYA: D'ELIA, ‘ENOUGH’ TO LIBYAN BLACKMAIL
we have to say ‘enough’ to the politics of threats and blackmail that the Libyan authorities have used for a long time," Sergio D'Elia, Secretary of Hands Off Cain said.
MAY 8, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYEP. REPORT BY CAPPATO ON HUMAN RIGHTS AROUND THE WORLD APPROVED
the European Parliament in Brussels approved the Report by Marco Cappato (Italian Radicals
MAY 7, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYUK. IRANIAN RESISTANCE AQUITTED OF TERRORISM ACCUSATIONS AGAIN
the Court of Appeal in London ordered the British Government to remove the People's
- APRIL 29, 2008CubaDEATH PENALTY
CUBA. D'ELIA, COMMUTATION OF DEATH SENTENCES AN IMPORTANT HUMANITARIAN ACT
"we are happy that President Raul Castro has commuted almost all death sentences in Cuba," Sergio D'Elia, Hands Off Cain Secretary, said.
- APRIL 17, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY. D'ELIA, LETHAL INJECTION ISN’T THE PROBLEM BUT THE ANACHRONISM OF THE DEATH PENALTY
regarding the US Supreme Court’s decision on the constitutionality of using lethal injection, Hands Off Cain Secretary, Sergio D'Elia, said: "The US Supreme Court wasn't called on to decide on the death penalty itself but whether the method of execution
MARCH 26, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYTIBET. RADICALS: RE-LAUNCH OF WORLD SATYAGRAHA FOR PEACE, FREEDOM AND RIGHTS WITH KARMA CHOPEL
“Our hope is that European leaders don't compromise morality and the lives of innocent people for economics.” This appeal was launched by the President of the Tibetan Parliament in exile, Karma Chopel, at a press conference at the European Parliament with
- MARCH 19, 2008ChinaDEATH PENALTY
TIBET. D'ELIA, DALAI LAMA NEEDS OUR HELP
Radical Parliamentarian Sergio D’Elia said at a demonstration of solidarity with
- MARCH 17, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. HANDS OFF CAIN ASKS FOR RELEASE OF DATA ON DEATH SENTENCES AND EXECUTIONS
Hands Off Cain asks China to provide data on the number of people sentenced to death and the number of executions performed.
MARCH 13, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYUK. VICTORY FOR KAZEMI AS HOME SECRETARY HALTS DEPORTATION TO IRAN
a gay teenager who faces the death penalty if he is forced to return to Iran won a