Italy: The alleged ill-treatment and death in custody of Antonio Morabito

Index Number: EUR 30/001/1994
Date Published: 17 January 1994
Categories: Europe And Central Asia, Italy

There is concern at the alleged ill-treatment and subsequent death of Antonio Morabito, a 32-year-old criminal suspect with terminal AIDS, while in the custody of Turin police on 18 December 1993. Numerous eye-witnesses to his arrest claim that he was severely beaten, and his family allege that he was beaten on at least two other occasions in the month preceding his death. The police have rejected the allegations of ill-treatment. The preliminary findings of an autopsy have established that he suffered severe internal injuries resulting in a stomach haemorrhage which caused his death. It apparently also found injuries to his head. Further investigations are being carried out.