The International Committee against the Death Penalty (ICDP) has received the René Cassin 2023 award. Lehendakari, Iñigo Urkullu, and the Minister for Equality, Justice and Social Policies, Nerea Melgoña, have presented the prize in an event held at the Palacio de Villa Suso de Vitoria-Gasteiz to Commissioner Marta Santos País, special delegate of the UN Secretary-General on Violence against Women.

The Basque Government awards the IPPC for its work in abolishing the death penalty worldwide: "Through awareness-raising, research, policy development, technical assistance to States and joint action with the United Nations, ICDP works hard to prevent executions, eliminate unfair and arbitrary conduct, propose alternatives to the death penalty and promote fairer and more humanitarian criminal systems."

Former United Nations High Commissioner and ICDP President Navi Pillay has stated that they will continue to act: “Receiving this recognition will give us more strength to continue to discuss with government authorities around the world, especially with governments that continue to maintain the death penalty, with the ultimate goal of achieving a world without death sentences.”

Urkullu has stressed the importance of defending human rights in a “threatened” world: “We make our humanist values represented by people and organizations that have received the René Cassin prize for 20 years. We accept the principles governing the work of the International Commission against the Death Penalty.” The Lehendakari highlighted that the prize symbolizes “Euskadi’s commitment to human rights and the dignity of life”.