Vatican City
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Abolitionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 23, 1999 · On January 23, addressing 10,000 Roman Catholics crammed...
- News items in the archive
- 62
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Vatican City 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 62 news items on Vatican City, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- NOVEMBER 19, 2007Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
VATICAN SPOKESMAN BACKS UN DRIVE TO END DEATH PENALTY
the Vatican's official spokesman praised a UN initiative calling for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, calling it “a step in the direction of humanity and of respect for the person.”
- FEBRUARY 3, 2007Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
VATICAN. POPE’S MESSAGE TO THE WORLD CONGRESS
The Third World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Paris concluded with a message from Pope
- JANUARY 1, 2007Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
The Vatican formally abolished the death penalty from its constitution in 2001.
The Vatican formally abolished the death penalty from its constitution in 2001.
- JANUARY 1, 2006Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
The Vatican formally abolished the death penalty from its constitution in 2001.
The Vatican formally abolished the death penalty from its constitution in 2001.
- DECEMBER 13, 2005Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
VATICAN CITY. VATICAN DEPLORES EXECUTION OF US GANG LEADER
the Vatican said there was no room for the death sentence in the modern world after the execution in a US jail of former Los Angeles gang leader Stanley Williams.
- APRIL 19, 2005Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
VATICAN CITY. ANTI-DEATH PENALTY COURSE LIKELY TO PERSIST WITH NEW POPE
Catholic leaders and scholars said that they expected new Pope Benedict XVI to continue his predecessor's strong opposition to the death penalty.
- JANUARY 1, 2005Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
The Vatican formally abolished the death penalty from its constitution in 2001.
The Vatican formally abolished the death penalty from its constitution in 2001.
- SEPTEMBER 10, 2004Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Since St
Since St
- DECEMBER 16, 2003Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Renato Cardinal Martino, head of the Pontifical Council...
Renato Cardinal Martino, head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, said Saddam Hussein should face trial for his crimes but stressed the Vatican's opposition to the death penalty and criticized the US military for portraying him ``like a cow''
- JANUARY 1, 2003Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
The Vatican formally abolished the death penalty from...
The Vatican formally abolished the death penalty from its constitution in 2001
- JANUARY 1, 2003Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Vatican use of the death penalty persisted into the...
Vatican use of the death penalty persisted into the 19th century, with hangings under Pope Pius IX, but no execution was carried out since the establishment of the modern state in 1929
- JANUARY 1, 2003Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
The revised Vatican constitution that took effect on...
The revised Vatican constitution that took effect on February 22, 2001 removed the death penalty from the text of the Fundamental Law, equivalent to a constitution, which dates back to the 1929 creation of the modern Vatican city-state
- JULY 26, 2002Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
A Vatican representative delivered a papal letter to...
A Vatican representative delivered a papal letter to Guatemalan President Alfonso Portillo asking him to declare a moratorium on the death penalty for the rest of his presidency
- JUNE 9, 2002Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, a Honduran, a top...
Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, a Honduran, a top Vatican official accused the American media of persecuting the Roman Catholic Church over paedophile priests, but even as he did so a Washington Post survey laid bare the extent of the scandal
- JANUARY 1, 2002Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
The Vatican maintained capital punishment into the...
The Vatican maintained capital punishment into the twentieth century with hangings taking place during the papacy of Pius IX
- APRIL 28, 2001Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Pope John Paul II has asked President Bush to spare...
Pope John Paul II has asked President Bush to spare the life of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, who is scheduled to be executed on May 16
- FEBRUARY 22, 2001Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was abolished from the constitution...
The death penalty was abolished from the constitution of the Vatican City State
- NOVEMBER 3, 2000Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Pope John Paul said in an address to Ministers from...
Pope John Paul said in an address to Ministers from the 41 countries of the Council of Europe who were in Rome to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the European Convention on Human Rights, that the Council of Europe has succeeded in having
- SEPTEMBER 13, 2000Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Pope John Paul renewed appeals to U
Pope John Paul renewed appeals to U
- JULY 25, 2000Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Pope John Paul asked the governor of the U
Pope John Paul asked the governor of the U
- JUNE 16, 2000Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
In a statement, the Vatican said it was happy about...
In a statement, the Vatican said it was happy about the acquittal but noted that thousands of other prisoners were still languishing in jails
- JUNE 14, 2000Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Senior Roman Catholic Church figures closed ranks in...
Senior Roman Catholic Church figures closed ranks in support of Bishop Augustin Misago, accused of helping to plan the 1994 genocide in Rwanda
- JUNE 7, 2000Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Bennie Demps, a condemned man who spent more than half...
Bennie Demps, a condemned man who spent more than half his 49 years on Death Row, was executed in Florida
- MAY 10, 2000Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Pope John Paul sent a telegram of solidarity to Rwandan...
Pope John Paul sent a telegram of solidarity to Rwandan Bishop Augustin Misago, who was on trial in Rwanda on genocide charges
- FEBRUARY 20, 2000Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Pope John Paul II appealed to Texas Governor, George W
Pope John Paul II appealed to Texas Governor, George W
- NOVEMBER 3, 1999Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
On November 3 Ambassador Renato Martino, speaking at...
On November 3 Ambassador Renato Martino, speaking at the Third Committee of the General Assembly (human rights) under item 116a (death penalty), said that the right to life is an inalienable right of every human person
- AUGUST 1, 1999Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
In August, Pope John Paul asked Texas Governor George W
In August, Pope John Paul asked Texas Governor George W
- MARCH 13, 1999Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
On March 13, Pope John Paul asked Italy's President...
On March 13, Pope John Paul asked Italy's President to show clemency towards Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turkish gunman who shot and nearly killed the Pontiff in 1981
- FEBRUARY 8, 1999Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
On February 8, Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, the Vatican...
On February 8, Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, the Vatican ambassador to the United States, sent a letter to California Governor Gray Davis to appeal for clemency for Thai citizen Jaturun Siripongs
- FEBRUARY 5, 1999Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
On February 5, the Philippines Supreme Court rejected...
On February 5, the Philippines Supreme Court rejected a last-minute appeal to halt the execution of Leo Echegaray, who was put to death at 3