Italian government says Capital punishment is "unjustifiable under any circumstance"

Capital punishment is "unjustifiable under any circumstance", the Italian government said on Wednesday, underlining its opposition to state-sanctioned execution.

"On European and World Day against the Death Penalty, Italy reaffirms its firm opposition to the death penalty, which is unjustifiable under any circumstance," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Italy has always sought to marshal "the widest possible support" for the 2007 UN moratorium on the death penalty and keeps working to "broaden the consensus of the international community" on the resolution, the statement said.

"Over many years now, this effort has involved the whole diplomatic network in a continuous dialogue also with civil society," the statement added.