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
- 84
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 84 news items on Vatican City, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- 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
- FEBRUARY 15, 2002Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
A cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church suggested that...
A cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church suggested that the time may be right for the launch of an international campaign of protest against Sudan for violating human rights, according to reports from the Rome-based international news agency Zenit, which s
- 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
- JULY 23, 2001Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Pope John Paul II held talks with visiting U
Pope John Paul II held talks with visiting U
- 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
- JANUARY 1, 2001Vatican 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
- 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
- DECEMBER 11, 1999Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
On December 11, Pope John Paul appealed for the world...
On December 11, Pope John Paul appealed for the world to seize the new millennium as an opportunity to abolish the death penalty
- 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
- JANUARY 27, 1999Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
On January 27, Pope John Paul sent out a loud and clear...
On January 27, Pope John Paul sent out a loud and clear message to Americans to oppose abortion, resist the destructive evil of racism and put an end to the unnecessary cruelty of the death penalty
- JANUARY 26, 1999Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
On January 26, after his arrival in the United States...
On January 26, after his arrival in the United States from Mexico, the Pope had a brief talk with President Bill Clinton, touching upon Iraq and Cuba
- JANUARY 23, 1999Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
On January 23, addressing 10,000 Roman Catholics crammed...
On January 23, addressing 10,000 Roman Catholics crammed into the Basilica of Guadalupe, in Mexico, one of the church's most venerated sites, Pope John Paul II appeared to be wagging his finger both at Mexico and the United States, his two hosts on his 85