Pope Leo calls for worldwide abolition of death penalty

Pope Leo XIV called for the worldwide abolition of the death penalty on Saturday, a day after the US administration mulled expanding the penalty.

"The dignity of the person is not lost even after very serious crimes are committed," Leo said in a video message marking the 15th anniversary of the abolition of the death penalty in his home state of Illinois.

"The Catholic Church has consistently taught that each human life, from the moment of conception until natural death, is sacred and deserves to be protected," said Leo, who succeeded Francis last year to become the first pontiff from the United States.

"Indeed, the right to life is the very foundation of every other human right," he argued. "For this reason, only when a society safeguards the sanctity of human life will it flourish and prosper."

Leo further offered his support "to those who advocate for the abolition of the death penalty in the United States of America and around the world."

The death penalty is permitted in more than two dozen of the 50 US states, although in several states it is no longer carried out in practice.

Leo's video message was made public shortly after a new push for the death penalty in the US.

The Department of Justice under Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is calling for criminals sentenced to death to be executed by firing squad at federal executions.

Relations between US President Donald Trump and Leo have recently become very strained.

Trump attacked Leo in several posts on his platform Truth Social, claiming the pope was "weak on crime."

Leo rejected Trump's unusual public criticism and made it clear that he would not be intimidated. However, he later emphasized that he had no interest in a confrontation with the US president.