Since 1993, the life of rights for the right to life.

1993

Hands off Cain is born as a league of citizens and parliamentarians for the abolition of the death penalty worldwide.

1994

First UN campaign for a universal moratorium on executions. The resolution is rejected for 8 votes. Among them, also abolitionist countries.

1995

Hands Off Cain, in partnership with the Arab Institute for Human Rights, organizes, in Tunis, the first Pan-Arab Conference on the death penalty. Intellectuals, jurists and parliamentarians from the Arabic countries conclude that "there are no insurmountable obstacles, in the foundations of the culture or in the legislation of Arab countries, to the abolition of the death penalty."

1996

Hands Off Cain, in partnership with Memorial, the Human Rights Commission and the Clemency Commission under the President of the Russian Federation, organizes, in Moscow, a conference on the moratorium on executions and living conditions in prisons.

1997

The first edition of the Hands Off Cain Report "The Death Penalty Worldwide" is launched, giving an account of the most significant developments regarding the practice of the death penalty at the global level.

1998

Hands Off Cain's missions begin in countries on every continent in support of the pro-moratorium vote.

2000

"We, on death row" campaign by Olivieto Toscani using images of death row inmates in the United States.

2006

Launch of the campaign "Hands Off Saddam" to avoid the execution of the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, supported by Marco Pannella's hunger and thirst strike.

2007

The UN General Assembly approves the moratorium resolution for the first time, on 18 December, with 104 vots in favour, 54 against and 29 abstentions (5 absent at the moment of vote, up to 192 Member States).

2011

Hands Off Cain, in partnership with the Government of Rwanda, organizes the conference on the death penalty in Africa in Kigali, attended by representatives from 20 countries in southern, central and eastern Africa.

2013

The European Court of human rights delivers the judgment Torreggiani vs Italy on prison overcrowding.

2014

Hands Off Cain, in partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone, organizes the Regional Conference on the Abolition and Moratorium of the Death Penalty in Freetown, and, with the Government of Benin, the Continental Conference on the Abolition of the Death Penalty in Africa in Cotonou.

2019

The European Court of human rights delivers the judgment Viola vs Italy on life imprisonment without parole.

2021

Launch of the campaign "When prevention is worse than punishment" for a reform of preventive, interdictory measures and dissolution of local councils on grounds of mafia.

2023

"Visiting prisoners": over 100 visits a year to penal institutions to monitor and raise awareness of the living conditions of the detained and the working conditions of the detaining staff.

2026

166 countries abolitionist de facto and the jure of the death penalty. 33 retentionist.