Undersecretary Dell’Utri chairs the Task Force against the death penalty

The Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Massimo Dell'Utri, chaired today at the Farnesina the meeting of the MAECI-Civil Society Task Force on Italy's action for a universal moratorium on the death penalty. The meeting was attended by representatives of Nessuno Tocchi Caino, the Community of Sant'Egidio and Amnesty International Italy.

At the heart of the meeting is the preparatory work for the negotiations on the United Nations General Assembly resolution for a universal moratorium on the death penalty, scheduled to take place this autumn in New York. The resolution on the moratorium is voted on every two years and, in 2024, thanks also to the Italian commitment, achieved for the first time a majority of more than two thirds of the members of the United Nations.

During the meeting, the Undersecretary reaffirmed that the commitment to abolish the death penalty is a priority of Italian diplomacy, while drawing attention to the persistent critical issues of the global picture. "Whilst the number of countries abolishing or suspending the death penalty is increasing, the number of executions carried out by those states that still apply it is also rising" noted Dell'Utri. The Undersecretary then emphasised the need to keep the international community's attention focused on this issue and to continue raising awareness in support of universal abolition.