ROME — On Friday, the anti-torture committee of the Council of Europe published a critical report regarding Italy’s treatment of migrants confined in local detention centers. The report highlighted instances of physical abuse, excessive use of force, and the administration of pharmaceutical drugs to detainees without proper oversight.
The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) compiled this report following an observational visit in April to four migrant detention facilities located in Milan, Gradisca, Potenza, and Rome. Under Italian law, these centers are intended for individuals who enter the nation illegally, cannot apply for asylum, and are classified as “socially dangerous” by the authorities.
Within the report, the CPT outlined numerous “interventions” occurring within these detention centers, referred to as CPRs (Centri di Permanenza per i Rimpatri). The committee underscored significant gaps in the system, including the lack of comprehensive and independent oversight of such interventions and deficiencies in the documentation of injuries inflicted upon detainees.
In defense of these facilities, the Italian government has previously stated that these centers play a vital role in deterring the influx of illegal immigration, asserting that some “prison-like” measures are necessary to prevent detainees from escaping. The right-wing administration of Giorgia Meloni has also sought to replicate Italy’s approach internationally, initiating a controversial agreement with Albania to create and manage two detention centers in the country. However, this arrangement has encountered legal challenges and has been temporarily halted by Italian courts at its outset.
Additionally, the CPT criticized the prevalent practice of administering unprescribed psychotropic medications to individuals at the Potenza facility. The report also pointed out the concerning trend of handcuffing migrants during their transfer between locations.
The committee urged the Italian authorities to eliminate the “carceral elements” in these centers and to make sure that facilities, especially health and sanitation provisions, are properly maintained. It also emphasized the severe scarcity of activities available to detainees, who are offered only limited recreational options.
Concluding its findings, the CPT report raised serious concerns over the poor living conditions, inadequate recreational activities, excessive security measures, inconsistent quality of health care, and the lack of transparency related to the management of CPRs operated by private entities. These issues cast doubt on Italy’s capability to implement this detention model outside its borders, such as in Albania.
The death of a young detainee at Rome’s Ponte Galeria center in February has intensified scrutiny of the conditions within these makeshift jails for migrants, which many lawyers and advocates describe as “black holes” for human rights abuses. Between 2019 and 2024, a reported 13 individuals have died in Italy’s detention facilities, including five suicides, with numerous incidents of self-harm and suicide attempts documented.
Established in 1999, the Italian government views these detention centers as crucial to curbing the number of migrants risking their lives to embark on treacherous sea journeys to reach Europe. In 2023, the government extended the maximum duration of detention from 90 days to 18 months.
In reaction to the CPT’s report, Italian officials pointed out that the instances of alleged physical mistreatment have not led to criminal inquiries and noted that multiple health inspections have been conducted at the Potenza facility regarding claims of excessive medication use among detainees.