GENEVA / ROME (11 July 2014) – The United Nations Working Group on
Arbitrary Detention today urged the Government of Italy to take extraordinary
steps, such as alternative measures to detention, to end over-incarceration and
to protect the rights of migrants. “Release is the remedy when minimum standards cannot be met in other
ways,” said human rights expert, Mads Andenas, who heads the Working Group, at
the end of a three-day visit to Italy to follow up on the implementation of the
recommendations issued after the 2008 visit of the Working Group.
“Prompt and sustained action in the next phase is required by Italy
to ensure compliance with human rights standards,” Mr. Andenas stressed. “We
call on the Italian authorities to comply with our recommendations on
over-incarceration and the Torreggiani judgment of the European Court of Human
Rights.” “We are pleased to see the measures the Government has undertaken to
implement our recommendations. We are further encouraged by the open and
rights-based dialogue in the legislative, executive and judicial branches on
issues of arbitrary detention”, he added. The expert noted that several of the recommendations in President
Napolitano’s 2013 Letter to Parliament on detention, including the proposals
for amnesty and clemency, and the 2013 Annual Report of the First President of
the Supreme Court are more urgent today to secure compliance with international
law.
