The Committee of Ministers calls on member States to remain firm in their commitment to oppose the death penalty.
On the occasion of the European and World Day against the Death Penalty, the Committee of Ministers reaffirmed its unequivocal opposition to the death penalty. It also reiterated the Council of Europe’s objective to create a death penalty-free zone in Europe and beyond and pursue the fight against its reintroduction and in favour of its universal abolition, in line with the Reykjavík Declaration adopted by the Heads of State and Government in May 2023.
In a set of decisions adopted following an exchange of views between delegations on the abolition of the death penalty, the Committee of Ministers welcomed the theme of the World Day: “The death penalty protects no one”, dedicated to fighting the misconception that the death penalty can make societies safer, and recalled that there is no conclusive evidence of the deterrent value of the death penalty. On this occasion, it called on member States to stand firm in their commitment to oppose it, in line with the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. It also highlighted that the adoption of Protocol No. 13 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, concerning the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances, was justified notably by the fact that in time of war or imminent threat of war, the risk of executing innocent people increases insofar as legal guarantees may be weaker and pressures may be higher.
In addition, the Committee of Ministers encouraged the pursuit of initiatives from the Council of Europe and its member States to promote the global abolition of capital punishment, in particular initiatives concerning young people such as the development of the training course on youth advocacy or the launch of a new HELP module on the abolition of the death penalty.
- Read the Committee of Ministers' decisions : CM/Del/Dec(2025)1538/4.1
