Today, 10 October, we celebrate World and European Day against the Death Penalty, an extremely cruel, inhumane, degrading, irreparable punishment that is contrary to human rights.
There is a steady trend towards the abolition of the death penalty. However, while more and more countries are removing this punishment from their legal systems, it is extremely worrying that since 2020 the number of executions worldwide is increasing.
Spain continues to advocate for the total abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances, a priority of our foreign policy as established in the 2021-2024 Foreign Action Strategy.
Spain calls on all retentionist States to move towards establishing moratoria, de facto or de jure, as a step towards complete abolition. Spain also urges them to promote the necessary legal reforms to avoid the application of the death penalty to minors, persons who committed crimes while they were minors, disabled persons or LGTBI persons; and to consider the effects of the application of the death penalty on minors in the care of the convicted, and to protect their rights.
Spain will continue to support the Madrid-based International Commission against the Death Penalty, founded in 2010 at the initiative of the Spanish Government, as well as multilateral and civil society initiatives targeting the universal abolition of the death penalty.
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