AI has received allegations over a number of years that detainees in Italy have been subjected to gratuitous and deliberate physical violence. There has been a noticeable increase in such complaints during the 1990s. A high proportion concern immigrants from outside Western Europe. This document describes AI’s concerns regarding the allegations, illustrated by a number of specific cases. It summarizes the recent findings of inter-governmental bodies which have also expressed concern about the ill-treatment of detainees in Italy. AI is drawing this report to the attention of the UN Committee against Torture, which is due to consider Italy’s Second Periodic Report on its compliance with the UN Convention against Torture.
