April 25, 2026, 1:26 p.mApril 25, 2026, 1:26 p.m
Pope Leo XIV is pushing for the worldwide abolition of the death penalty. According to the teachings of the Church, this is inadmissible “because it represents an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,” said the Pope in a video message on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the abolition of the death penalty in the US state of Illinois, as Kathpress reported.
Pope Leo calls for the abolition of the death penalty.Image: keystone
“I support all those who work for the abolition of the death penalty in the United States of America and around the world,” said the Pope. Leo XIV, who was born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago in 1955, said he was grateful for the Illinois governor’s decision in 2011.
Even after committing the most serious crimes, this dignity is not lost, the Pope affirmed. He also referred to effective detention systems that protect citizens and at the same time do not deprive the guilty of the opportunity for rehabilitation. “That is why Pope Francis and my predecessors have repeatedly emphasized that the common good can be safeguarded and the requirements of justice can be met without resorting to the death penalty,” emphasized Leo XIV.
The right to life is the basis of all other human rights, the Pope emphasized in his message on the occasion of DePaul University in Chicago’s celebration of the 15th anniversary of the abolition of the death penalty. “I pray that your efforts will lead to a greater recognition of the dignity of every human being and inspire others to also work for this just cause,” the Pope said.
US government increased death penalty
The pope’s call for the abolition of the death penalty came a day after the US government tightened regulations on its implementation.
The US Department of Justice announced on Friday that it would create alternatives to lethal injections because it was becoming increasingly difficult to obtain the necessary medication. The government of President Donald Trump therefore wants to allow firing squads, the electric chair and gas asphyxiation as methods of execution at the federal level in the future. (hkl/sda/apa)