Holy See calls for abolition of death penalty at UN
The Holy See’s permanent observer to the U.N. urged the international community to abolish the death penalty during a meeting at the 81st General Assembly.
Archbishop Christophe El-Kassis argued for an end to capital punishment during a meeting of the Third Committee on Oct. 7 , saying the defense of human rights must be “consistent and universal, extending to every person, at every stage and in every circumstance.”
El-Kassis’ remarks come after Tennessee’s Sept. 30 botched execution of convicted murderer Christa Pike , who survived the administration of two syringes of lethal pentobarbital and is receiving medical treatment. A week later, Texas executed a man, marking the 30th execution carried out in the United States in 2026. Separately, President Donald Trump on Oct. 5 approved an execution by a military firing squad .
“The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,” El-Kassis said, quoting the Catechism of the Catholic Church. “This God-given dignity is never forfeited, no matter the gravity of the crime. Advances in penal systems now allow states to protect society effectively without foreclosing the…
