Four more prison suicides in Italy
have taken this year's toll to 43 inmates who have taken their
own lives, sources said Monday.
The last four suicides occurred over just two days.
Some 16 of the 43 were awaiting trial.
"These are crazy numbers unworthy of a civilised country", said
prison unions, while the opposition attacked the government and
called for amnesties and pardons to ease chronic overcrowding
and help improve conditions in Italy's penitentiaries.
Prison unions have urged hirings to help with chronic
under-staffing, and specialised personnel to address prisoners'
mental health issues.
The Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers on Friday
expressed concern about the high number of suicides in Italian
prisons and the situations of people suffering from mental
disorders who are awaiting transfer from
prisons to alternative facilities.
In a statement on implementation of past sentences passed by the
European Court of Human Rights, it "noted with great concern
that the measures adopted so far by the authorities have not
stemmed the worrying negative trend of suicides in prison
observed since 2016 which persisted in 2023 and into the
beginning of 2024".
It urged the Italian authorities "to rapidly adopt further
remedial action and secure appropriate additional financial
resources to enhance domestic capacity to prevent suicides in
prison and to keep the Committee informed of the measures
adopted and the progress achieved".
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