Topic:
Country: Italy
Delegate Name: Alessandra Alkema
Throughout history, the existence of the death penalty has been a continuous debate between nations as it brings controversial discussion. Today, one-third of nations across the world still actively utilize the death penalty with the other percentage abolishing the practice altogether. In recent trends the abolition of the death penalty has increased, initiating requirements and restrictions of how an individual can qualify for the death penalty in nations that still allow capital punishment. Although there is no national law for the prohibition, agencies such as the Office of Human Rights and the UN Human Rights Chief express their perspective of abolition and have called on states to place restrictions on the law or remove it altogether; however, many of these states do not attach to the global standards of how the punishment can be placed, which is currently creating immense issues and debates. There has been no universal standard that bans the death penalty due to the argument of respecting cultural practices and the indepence of each state to choose their own legislation.
As a delegate from the country of Italy, we recognize the importance of discussing the controversial topic of the death penalty as the practice has been completely abolished in the nation’s justice system. In history, the death penalty was still enforced as a military penal code until it was fully prohibited by law in 1994. From there, Italy replaced the practice with the maximum sentence of the Civil Penal Law. In 2007, a constitutional amendment was adopted. Article 27 of the Italian Constitution was amended to ban the death penalty altogether. The nation then established the Italian Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (ICADP) in order to form a network between both Italian and foreign groups, associations, movements, and individuals that oppose capital punishment, and to coordinate their work. The ICADP discusses the death penalty around the globe, especially interested in the situation of the United States as the ICADP works to abolish the death penalty all over the world in its efforts. The ICADP is in direct and constant contact with other abolitionist groups and associations worldwide. Most of its members have direct relations with death row prisoners, both men and women, in the USA and other countries to ensure that the opposition of the practice is expressed beyond Italy’s borders.
Italy has not experienced the heated debate revolving around the death penalty within the nation since before the 1990s. With the complete abolition of the practice and the establishment of the ICADP, Italy wishes to take further action in ensuring that the idea of prohibition of the death penalty is observed globally. As the ICADP currently continues its discussion across borders with other abolitionist groups, Italy hopes to collaborate with other nations with similar views and perspectives to bring justice to such a cause. The nation of Italy will offer possible resources to nations with lesser incomes to promote the abolition of the death penalty across the world. With the ideal of global collaboration, Italy wishes to connect with additional nations and abolitionist groups to further the discussion to the wavering minds of some nations.
