Pope Francis Firmly Opposes Capital Punishment

The leader of Catholics worldwide took a clear stance against capital punishment in a letter addressed to the World Congress Against Capital Punishment, stating that execution is under no circumstances an acceptable form of punishment.

Pope Francis, the leader of Catholics worldwide, wrote in a letter to the “World Congress Against Capital Punishment” that today this punishment is no longer acceptable in any way, even if the offender has committed the most heinous of crimes. The congress began on Tuesday (June 21) in Oslo, the capital of Norway. The Pope emphasized in this letter that depriving a human being of the right to life is contrary to God’s will and justice. He added that capital punishment brings no justice to the victims; rather, it “awakens a sense of vengeance.”

The leader of Catholics worldwide cited God’s commandments; he said the commandment “thou shalt not kill” is an absolute decree for both the innocent and the guilty. He stated that human life and its dignity are inviolable, and this also applies to criminals.

At the same time, he called for improved conditions for the detention of prisoners worldwide, saying that the purpose of imprisonment is to help the offender reform. A punishment that leaves no hope is not punishment; it is a form of torture.

The three-day congress against capital punishment taking place this year at the Oslo Opera House is held once every three years. In 2001 Strasbourg hosted the congress, in 2004 Montreal, in 2007 Paris, in 2010 Geneva, and in 2013 Madrid.

According to statistics, in 2015 alone, 1,634 people were executed in 25 countries worldwide. 89 percent of these executions took place in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Iran.

Source: DW