Italy has always been on the front line, working actively and effectively to broaden the consensus on this issue, adopting an inclusive and cooperative approach. In fact, Italy has promoted several initiatives in favour of a universal moratorium on the death penalty, which led the United Nations General Assembly to pass the first resolution on a moratorium on the death penalty in December 2007.
Italy’s commitment was renewed the following year when, together with an inter-regional alliance of Countries from all over the world, it promoted a second resolution on the moratorium, which was approved by the General Assembly with a larger number of votes in favour and a smaller number of votes against. Since then, the UN General Assembly has subsequently passed a resolution on the universal moratorium on the use of the death penalty every two years.
The Foreign Ministry’s entire diplomatic network, as well as Italian institutions and civil society, have been committed to this issue for many years. To this aim, the Ministry set up a Task Force in July 2014, comprising representatives of civil society, with the aim of coordinating and enhancing the effectiveness Italy’s awareness raising activities in Third Countries in support of the UN Resolution on the universal moratorium.
Italian Foreign Minister, Paolo Gentiloni, participated in an event on the universal moratorium organised by Italy in conjunction with other partners and the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, which was held on the sidelines of the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
For more information, please visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
