By Sr. Christine Masivo, CPS

The Holy See addressed the 2025 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference during the plenary session on the rule of law, and reaffirmed its steadfast commitment to defending the inalienable dignity of every human person.

Truth for human dignity

Msgr. Lucas Marabese, Deputy Head of Mission of the Permanent Representative of the Holy See to the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), issued a statement at the conference.

He emphasized that human dignity, given by God, is inviolable from conception until natural death. It has also condemned any form of mutilation, torments inflicted on body or mind, and attempts to coerce the will itself.

The Delegation reiterated the Church’s consistent rejection of torture and all forms of inhumane treatment, citing international human rights instruments that preserve the absolute exclusion of torture as a non-negotiable principle.

Institutions entrusted with establishing criminal responsibility should diligently pursue the truth, he said, while ensuring that their proceedings are conducted in full respect for the dignity and rights of the human person, underscoring the necessity of just and humane procedures in criminal investigations.

Safeguarding the common good

Addressing the issue of capital punishment, the Holy See’s representative recalled its historical context but highlighted the growing global recognition of its incompatibility with human dignity.

He noted the increasing awareness that even those guilty of grave crimes do not lose their inherent dignity, alongside the development of penal systems that protect society without depriving offenders of the possibility of redemption.

“Bearing this in mind, the Holy See considers the death penalty excluded because it is an attack on the sacredness and dignity of the person,” Msgr. Marabese declared. “Therefore, it will continue to press with determination for its abolition worldwide.”