HOC and the Amman Center for Human Rights Studies call on Jordanian authorities to reaffirm their support for a universal moratorium on capital punishment

Amman, Oct. 25, 2026: "Nessuno tocchi Caino" (Hands Off Cain) and the Amman Center for Human Rights Studies are strengthening their shared commitment to a justice system rooted in nonviolence, human dignity, and respect for human rights. They are calling on the Jordanian authorities to reaffirm their support for the United Nations General Assembly resolution advocating for a universal moratorium on capital punishment.

The death penalty is not merely a matter of criminal policy; it is a question of democracy, legal civilization, and the very concept of justice. It challenges the relationship between the State and the individual, between force and the rule of law, and between the legitimate demand for justice by victims and the temptation of vengeance.

A democracy is also measured by its ability to administer justice without resorting to killing.

Elections, constitutions, and representative institutions are not enough; one must also look at what happens in courts and prisons—at the observance of due process, the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment, and the State’s capacity to exercise its power without denying the dignity of the individual.

It is in this light that a universal moratorium on capital punishment takes on decisive significance. It is not simply a measure to suspend executions, nor is it a request to merely postpone a final decision. Rather, it is a political and legal act that asserts the primacy of the rule of law over violence, paving the way for a justice system capable of breaking the cycle of vengeance. Nessuno tocchi Caino and the Amman Center for Human Rights Studies acknowledge that abolishing the death penalty requires a political, cultural, and legislative process that takes into account national realities and the sensibilities of different societies. A moratorium, however, represents a concrete and immediately feasible step: it allows lives to be saved while the discussion on necessary reforms continues.

In a region marked by conflict, terrorism, and deep-seated tensions, security cannot be set in opposition to human rights. The strength of democratic institutions lies in their ability to counter violence without replicating it, to ensure justice without letting it devolve into vengeance, and to protect society without abandoning the principles upon which its coexistence is founded.

For this reason, we call upon Jordan to reaffirm its vote in favor of the UN resolution on a moratorium on capital executions, thereby contributing to an international trend that views the suspension of executions as a step toward their total abolition.

*The life of the law and the right to life are inseparable*. Where the State kills in the name of justice, the law risks giving way to brute force. Conversely, where justice rejects vengeance, the law asserts its capacity to protect the life, dignity, and freedom of every individual.

The UN moratorium is a step in this direction—a step that Jordan can help take by confirming its support for the resolution and strengthening its dialogue with the international community.

We have agreed to meet again in late November in Geneva and Milan, and in March, to take joint action during the session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.