18/03/2026 Legal Affairs and Human Rights
A committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has expressed “deep concern” at ongoing legislative proposals before the Israeli Knesset that would expand the death penalty in Israel.
Approving a draft resolution based on a report by Gala Veldhoen (Netherlands, SOC), PACE’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights said the changes, if adopted, could lead to “potential discriminatory effects against Palestinians”.
“If these bills were adopted, they would represent a clear setback in Israel’s long-standing stance on the use of the death penalty and a violation of its obligations under international human rights law,” the committee said.
It therefore strongly urged Israel to “refrain from expanding the list of crimes punishable by death in a discriminatory manner”. The Israeli Knesset holds observer status with the Parliamentary Assembly.
The committee also condemned ongoing executions in Belarus — currently the only country on the continent to carry out capital punishment — and called on the United States and Japan, Council of Europe observer states, to immediately introduce moratoria on executions, commute sentences and end cruel methods of execution, such as nitrogen hypoxia, firing squad and electrocution, or secretive practices.
The committee welcomed the global trends towards limiting and abolishing the death penalty, including “positive steps” recently taken by Morocco, whose parliament has “partner for democracy” status with the Assembly.
It reaffirmed the Council of Europe’s stance against capital punishment in all circumstances and all places, and said any reintroduction of the death penalty by a Council of Europe member state would be incompatible with membership.
The committee said that the Council of Europe and the Assembly should contribute to the upcoming World Congress against the death penalty to be held in Paris in June 2026. A hearing focusing on current global trends and the situation in Israel and Japan preceded the adoption of the report.
The report is due to be debated by the full Assembly during its forthcoming spring plenary session in Strasbourg.