International Commission against the Death Penalty

In recent years, a clear and growing trend towards the abolition of the death penalty in the world has become increasingly notable. This is due to the development of an international movement promoted by International and Regional Organizations, relevant civil society actors and representatives of the political world.

However, despite all the efforts and achievements to date, there are still many places in the world where the use of the death penalty is still practiced.

The Spanish Government launched an initiative to establish the International Commission against the Death Penalty (ICDP) in order to reinforce the fight against the death penalty in all regions of the world and in order to establish a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, with a view to its complete abolition. The initiative is supported by 15 countries representing all the regions of the world.

The ICDP was established on 7 October 2010 in Madrid. Its mandate is to undertake complementary actions to the ones carried out by International and Regional Organizations, civil society and representatives of the political world, favouring the abolition of the death penalty.

The added value of the ICDP lies in its importance of its members, their independence in decision making and broad geographical representation, giving it a high profile in the international arena, as well as a strategic and selective character when carrying out its objectives, with a view to achieving tangible results.