10 October 2025
European and World Day against the death penalty
On the occasion of the European and World Day Against the Death penalty, the Council of Europe firmly reaffirms its unequivocal opposition to the death penalty.
In 2025, this day is again dedicated to challenging the misconception that the death penalty can make societies safer.
- The Secretary General of the Council of Europe and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy issued a joint statement in which they strongly reaffirm their unequivocal opposition to the death penalty, including any reintroduction of it, in all cases and in all circumstances. Joint statement is also available in: French (Français) - German (Deutsch) - Italian (italiano) - Spanish (Español) - Russian (Русский) - Azerbaijani (Azərbaycan) - Belarusian (беларуская мова)
- The Ministers’ Deputies engaged in a discussion on the abolition of the death penalty, and adopted a set of decisions in view of the European and World Day, reiterating their strong opposition to the death penalty, including any reintroduction of it, in all places and in all circumstances, and advocating for its universal abolition. The decisions inter alia welcome the theme of the World Day, and recall that there is no conclusive evidence of the deterrent value of the death penalty.
- The General Rapporteur on the abolition of the death penalty of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Ms Gala Veldhoen published a statement, in which she inter alia states that the Assembly stands ready to contribute to any global initiatives in favour of abolition, including the next World Congress Against the Death Penalty which will take place in France in 2026.
- The Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE) also issued a declaration in which it inter alia underscores the significant role of judges in advancing an end to capital punishment.
Since the 4th Council of Europe Summit of Heads of State and Governments, held in May 2023 in Reykjavik, whose guidance was confirmed by Foreign Ministers in 2024, the Council of Europe has undertaken several actions “to strengthen initiatives to counter pro-death penalty narratives in Europe and contribute to global abolition."
For example, it has launched a series of workshops entitled "Death is not Justice – youth advocacy and awareness-raising for the abolition of the death penalty", with the aim of setting up a network of young ambassadors to fight for the abolition across Europe and the world. The Youth Ambassadors prepared for the second time a declaration on the occasion of the European and World Day. Some of them are also conducting specific actions to promote the abolition.
In addition, several Council of Europe initiatives on the issue of the death penalty led to concrete results in the run-up to the European and World Day:
- On 9-10 October, a Council of Europe delegation went to Rabat, where was launched a cooperation project on the abolition of the death penalty in Morocco with the Moroccan National Human Rights Council.
- A report dedicated to abolitionist de facto countries and entitled "Between retention and abolition: making sense of a death penalty without executions" was launched at a side-event on 26 September 2025 on the margins of the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
- The Committee of Ministers adopted a set of decisions dealing with the follow-up to the report of the Steering Committee on Human Rights on the examination of the implementation of Recommendation Rec(2021)2 on measures against the trade in goods used for the death penalty, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. More information.
- And our new HELP module on the Abolition of the death penalty has been available since this summer !
Launch of a cooperation on the abolition of the death penalty with the Morrocan Conseil National des Droits de l’Homme
