On April 24, 2026, Pope Leo XIV issued a high-profile video message calling the death penalty "inadmissible" and an attack on human dignity, specifically lending his support to abolition efforts in the United States. U.S. Developments: Expansion vs. Repeal
Pope Leo XIV Calls Death Penalty “Inadmissible,” Lends Support to U.S. Abolition Efforts Death Sentence Cease To Exist
The movement to end capital punishment remains a dominant global trend, with over having abolished it in law or practice. On April 24, 2026, Pope Leo XIV issued
Nations like Ghana and Zimbabwe have recently abolished capital punishment, following a trend in sub-Saharan Africa toward sentencing fewer people to death. Repeal Pope Leo XIV Calls Death Penalty “Inadmissible,”
France is set to host the World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Paris later this year, focusing on the role of judges and youth in total abolition.
The United States currently presents a deeply divided landscape, with the federal government and individual states moving in opposite directions.