Laurea. 2015

'Unsolved deaths into'Unsolved deaths into
Police Custody andPolice Custody and
Prison, abuse of power,Prison, abuse of power,
murder or suicide? Themurder or suicide? The
Reality of the ItalianReality of the Italian
Criminal Justice System'Criminal Justice System'
2015
VALENTINA SERRA
LONDON METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

'Unsolved deaths into Police Custody
and Prison, abuse of power, murder or
suicide? The Reality of the Italian
Criminal Justice System'
By Valentina Serra
Abstract:
The purpose of this dissertation is to critically discuss particular cases of deaths occurring in police
custody and prisons. Academic researchers highlight concern about all these victims who every
year die in custody or prisons and no one is found responsible for these deaths. For instance,
Cucchi and Uva’s deaths remain unsolved cases of murder. The research aims to understand who is
responsible for this deaths. In Italy, there is a long history of abuse of power in which political
parties and public authorities, such as the police, are primary involved. There is a need to
understand if the Italian Criminal Justice System is fully involved into these abuses of power. In
Italy, police culture seems to be relevant, which is protected by the Parliament. A specific crime of
torture is still an important factor which influences the decision of the magistrates in finding the
responsible in such as cases of deaths. This thesis also analyses other social issues, such as
overcrowding in prisons and suicide, which interest is growing around in academic literature.
Overcrowding in prisons is an important issue. Italy was found guilty of breaching the European
Convention of the Human Rights and was fined. In addition, the rate of suicide in increases every
year and seems to be an effect of overcrowding in prisons, and because of unfair punishment and
social inequalities which surround the Italian Criminal Justice System.
Acknowledgements
2

I would like to thank you my Supervisor Professor Devinder Curry for his valuable
help and guidance throughout this research. I am also grateful to the Professor Anna
Sergi, I am extremely thankful and indebted to her expertise and valuable guidance
extended to me. I also thanks my parents and friends for the unceasing,
encouragement, support and attention.
Contents Page:
Chapter 1: Introduction and Chapter Summaries 4
3

Chapter 2: Literature Review 7
2.1 -Cases of abuse of power: From the 1960’s until now.
2.2 -Issues of politics/ corruption and how it may
influence what goes on in prisons and police custody.
2.3- Giuseppe Uva : unknown death under police custody.
2.4- Suicide and overcrowded prisons.
Chapter 3: Methodology 12
3.1- Participants and sample strategies
3.2- Advantage and disadvantage of the interview- Data collection
Chapter 4: Findings 15
Chapter 5: Analysis 20
Conclusion 22
Appendix A: Participants Information and Consent Form 24
Appendix B: Interview Guide Questions 1 29
Appendix C: Interview Guide Questions 2 30
Appendix D: Example of Interview Transcription (translated into English) (see
Appendix E: for all interview transcriptions in Italian) 32-37
Appendix F: Evidence Giuseppe Uva's body and Documentary 48
Appendix G: Photos of prisons living conditions 50
Appendix H: Report 51
References 52
Chapter One - Introduction:
Constitution of Italian Republic: Article 27
The punishment shall not consist of treatments against the sense of humanity and they shall be
4

aimed at the re-education of the sentenced person
(Senato della Republica1947:10)
The Italian Criminal Justice System is based on the ancient Roman Law and French principles,
which are written laws. The system is comprised of courts and a body judges which are composed
by Italian civil servants. The Judiciary and prosecutors have roles which are autonomous from the
political, executive and legislative power (Beentham 2002). The penal law defines what kind of
behaviour is criminal and what specific penalties need to be inflicted on the offender. In the penal
law, all kind of penalties are defined, the minimum and the maximum (IBP 2009). The penal law is
formed by four fundamental principles: principle of legality, materiality, offensiveness and guilt. In
Article 27 of the Italian Constitution, it is argued that no penalty can be inflicted without a law and
no crime can be convicted without a law. In addition to this, all citizens have the same human
rights; if someone commits an offence, he cannot be convicted without a trial and imprisoned
without a final fair sentence pronounced. Furthermore, imprisonment needs to be used for the
purpose of the rehabilitation (IBP 2009).
Prisons should be safe places for everyone who is involved in them.
(Council of Europe, 2006:959)
This thesis aims to systematically research what occurs within Italian Prisons, in custodies with
particular regards to crime, control and punishment. It examines the various serious problems
around Italian prisons, such as suicides, overcrowding and murders. There will be a discussion of a
case of death, Giuseppe Uva who was beaten to death after a week in police custody. Recently, the
media have reported on the story of Stefano Cucchi, one of the many episodes of victims who died
under the protection of the law public authorities. In 2009 in Rome, Stefano Cucchi was arrested
for possession of drugs and held in police custody for a week. During that week, Stefano was
beaten several times and was then taken to the hospital where he died. The autopsy showed clear
evidence that Stefano had received physical abuse. His family knew that something was amiss
regarding his death. The court accused eleven people of being involved in Cucchi's death. Since
2009, Cucchi’s family have fought for justice. However, no one has been charged with his death
due to a lack of evidence (Day 2004).
According to Baccaro and Morelli (2009), statistics show that between 2000 and 2015, every year
150 people died inside Italian prisons. That is an overall figure of 2370 inmates dead, 848 of
whom had committed suicide. As for the remaining dead inmates, some had died of natural causes
5

and some for unclear reasons. In addition, Day (2004) argued that some people who were arrested,
held in custody or sent to prison hd been beaten to death. However, no one has been judged
culpable. “In the 2012, the Italian Minister of Justice, Paola Severino, acknowledged the shocking
levels of violence, abuse and overcrowding in Italian prisons and pushed for reforms that have yet
to be adopted'” (Day 2004:1).
The rationale for researching Italy is based on various factors. In 2012, in the Annual Report of
International on Prison Conditions, published by the USA, it was argued that in Italy the issue of
overcrowding persists. In 2012, “in Italian prisons 66.529 inmates were held in 206 prisons
designed to hold 47.048 people” (Calderone & Manconi 2011). The Council of Europe also
claimed that Italy is classified at the third place in Europe owing to overcrowding in prisons
(Baccaro and Morelli 2009). Thus in 2013, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) fined
Italy 100,000 Euros after finding Italy guilty of violating Article 3 of the ECHR (ANSA 2013).
This dissertation aims to understand what it is happening into Italian prisons and custody, analysing
who is responsible for these deaths. There is a particular focus on the Italian State, Government,
Ministry of Justice, law public authorities and their power over citizens with reference to Italian
prisoners. It will also investigate the possible reasons behind overcrowding and suicides in prisons.
In addition to this, another aim is to understand if the Italian State is not strong enough to stop
these situations or if there is another reason behind their present failure. The research question is
the following:
'Unsolved deaths into Police Custody and Prison, abuse of power, murder or suicide? The
Reality of the Italian Criminal Justice System'
In order to satisfy the research matter, the research aims to interview the sister of a victim,
Giuseppe Uva, who died in police custody. Furthermore, there will be three additional interviews in
order to analyse the theoretical aspects of the Italian Criminal Justice System and Prisons Law.
The first subheading provides a brief history of abuse of power from the 1960s until the present
with a particular reference to important cases of death in police custody. The second subheading
discusses the particular case of Giuseppe Uva’s death. The third subheading looks at certain
political issues, such as corruption and how it may influence what it is going on in prison. The
fourth subheading explores the various issues of Italian prisons such as suicides, unknown causes
of deaths and overcrowding.
6

The second chapter is the methodology. It discusses the approach adopted, examining its strengths
and weakness. The ethical issues are also included in this section.
Chapter three, the findings, compares the different views of the respondents. The findings are
divided into four different themes: murder and suicide, power of the public authorities, Italian
prisons and its inhuman conditions, and human and prisoner Rights.
Finally, Chapter four concludes the dissertation with a discussion of the final findings and
previous literature review. It reviews the hypothesis of the research and its validity and the possible
new findings which might give a contribution to the extant literature.
Chapter Two - Literature Review
2. 1 - Cases of abuse of power: From the 1960s until now.
When they opened the cell, it was too late because Mike hang cold with a rope
around his neck.
(De Andrè, 1961:117)
7

According to Calderone and Manconi (2011), in Italy abuse of power and unknown deaths have a
long history. For instance, Giuseppe Pinelli’s death is an important case of abuse of power which
has been recognised as such by the President of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano. Pinelli was an
anarchist railway worker who died between the nights of the 15 and the 16 December 1969 after
apparently falling from one of the balconies of the police station in Milan. Pinelli had been
wrongly accused and arrested in connection with a bomb explosion in a bank close to Piazza
Fontana (Milan) on the 12th December. Some people argued at the time that Pinelli had committed
suicide. Conversely, others claimed that Pinelli was murdered inside the Police Station. Another
similar case is the murder of the anarchist Franco Serentini (Foot 2003) .In 1972, protests against
the Italian Fascist government were carried out by young people in Pisa. At that time, Serentini was
involved in the protest and was one of the many people who were beaten by police. Two days later,
he died in prison due to having lost a certain amount of blood and receiving no medical care
(Ginzburg 1999). But these are only two cases of unknown death inside police stations; many
others, such as Nanni De Angelis (1980), Salvatore Marino (1985) and Federico Aldrovandi
(2005), are important cases in which the abuse of power was present (Calderoni and Manconi
2011).
In 2012, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) found Italy guilty of violating Article 3 of
the European Convention of Human Rights on different occasions (ACTC 2013). In few words, the
following sentence is the process followed in order to set up Article 3:
No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading
treatment of punishment.
(Morgan and Evans cited by Dickinson 2010:139)
The most recent occasion occurred in 2012 in Rome; a woman claimed to have been raped by three
police officers while was hold in custody. Moreover, the second most recent occasion happened
when some victims such as Cucchi and Uva were arrested, held in custody and beaten to death by
gendarmes and police officers. Another occasion includes violence against ethic minority groups,
who were subjected to a racist attack by police officers and public authorities. For instance,
Emanuel Boncu Foster, a Ghanaian student, was arrested on suspicion of selling drugs. During his
arrest and interrogation, he was beaten and racially verbally abused. In the report presented by the
emergency services, various injuries to the skull and throat were discovered. In addition, a case of
violence and inhuman degradation happened in 2001, in Diaz School in Genoa. Around 200 young
8

people, who occupied the school as a protest for G8, were arrested and subsequently humiliated
and tortured by gendarmes such as police officers (ACTC 2013).
2.2- Issues of politics / corruption and how it may influence what goes on in
prisons.
According to Beetham (2002), in the last decade, Italy has been through different political changes
regarding its democracy. Different political parties and organisations were created. These
organisations are comprised of Italian citizens who have the right to administer the national
political life. These citizens belong to the elite ruling classes. In addition to this, particular
institutional changes were made in national, regional and local electoral law. Italy is a democratic
republic where the executive, judiciary and legislative powers are exercised by different organs of
the state. Moreover, the judiciary has a high level of autonomy. However, it is still limited due to
issue of corruption which the political system is involved in (Beetham 2002). “Since 1992, judicial
investigations disclosed a complex and widespread system of political corruption with bribes going
in part to enrich individual politicians and in part to finance the political parties” (Beetham
2002:22).
“Italy has the world’s ninth-largest defence budget” (IBP 2014:8). In addition, Italy is the only
country in Europe which has five different types of police: state police force, Carabinieri, Excise
Police, Police employed in prison surveillance, and State Forest Corps (Tanzi 2009). These public
authorities have their own autonomy; they are in fact not controlled by political institutions.
Furthermore, the majority of the members of parliament do not have enough knowledge on the
reality of police. Normally, political parties support public authorities, such as the police, because
they can obtain from them the majority of votes for the political election. These are a few of the
many reasons why police and other public authorities abuse power especially directed against
Italian citizens. Furthermore, in Italy a specific law against torture does not exist yet. This may be
another cause of abuse of power (Pallida 2014). The UN Committee Against Torture requires that
each state introduce a specific law which must define torture as an official and unique offence.
Nevertheless, Italian political parties focus only on two particular parts of the definition. The first
looks at torture as an offence which is defined in relation to the amount of pain and suffering
sustained. For the second part, there are different opinions. Some people want to introduce torture
as an offence for everyone. Conversely, other people want to introduce the “Reato Proprio” which
9

excludes the conviction of public authorities from this offence thereby allowing them to commit
this particular crime (Marchesi 2008)
2.3- Giuseppe Uva: unknown death under police custody.
Giuseppe Uva’s death is a particular case of abuse of power occurring in Italy. Two versions of
Uva’s death were presented. One is from the public authorities involved in this case. The other is
from Alberto Bigioggero, Uva’s friend, who was also present the night of Uva’s death. According
to the version told by the public authorities, on the 13 June 2008 Uva and his friend got drunk and
later decided to go out on the street. In their way they found some hurdles that closed the street.
For fun they decided to move them in the middle of the street. Police arrived and asked them to
stop making a mess in the street. However, the couple were quiet drunk and did not stop. They also
shouted and swore at the officers. At 3.50 am, Uva and his friend were arrested and brought to the
police station. Contrary to this version, Bigioggero argued that one of the police officers who
arrested them knew Uva. Indeed, Uva had confessed to his friend that he met a woman who was
married to a police a few times. So when the police officer saw him he said, “I was looking for
you, now I will make you pay for what you did last time”. Uva was scared and tried to go away.
The officer then pushed Uva in the street and arrested him and his friend. Moreover, according to
the public authority’s version, when the two arrived at the station, Uva seemed to be worried about
something. Therefore, he started to shout, smashing things on the floor. He became aggressive and
violent and eight police officers were on Uva trying to keep him quiet. Then the police decided to
call the ambulance because Uva was still aggressive. Doctors injected Uva with so much that he
died. Bigioggero claimed that Uva’s story was completely changed by the authorities. Indeed,
when they arrived at the police station, Uva was taken into a room with other police officers for a
certain amount of time. Bigioggero heard his friend shouting and asking for help so he decided to
call an ambulance. However, the emergency service called the police station to confirm the request
before sending an ambulance. The police denied this, saying that the people who were arrested
were only drunk. Finally, at 5 o’clock, an ambulance arrived at the station, but this time it was
called by the police. At the same time Bigioggero, was driven home by a police officer. The
following day, Uva’s friend went to report what had occurred at the police station. However,
because of his mental health problems, nobody believed him. Anyway, Uva’s family was called in
the morning after the episode. Uva’s sister, Lucia, immediately went to the hospital. When she saw
her brother’s body, she quickly realised that something untoward had happened and decided to take
some pictures. Uva’s face was swollen, his nose was broken, and he had two holes, one in the
10

cheek and another in the shoulder, which seemed like cigarette burns. He did not wear underwear
but instead he had a nappy and his backside was full of blood. After eight years, Lucia Uva is still
fighting to obtain justice for her brother, however no one has been found guilty yet. Giuseppe Uva
is one of the many victims killed by the public authorities (Verdelli, 2014).
The Attorney in this case is Agostino Abate from Salerno, an important magistrate who won all the
cases against Uva’s death. Abate filed this case and nobody was found guilty. He declared that Uva
died because of the combination of sedative and alcohol. Then he changed his version, claiming
that Uva died due a heart attack (Verdeli 2014).
2.4- Suicide and overcrowding in prisons.
During the course of the history, suicide has attracted the attention of many researchers,
philosophers and sociologists trying to understand what can occurs in a person’s life which can
lead them to commit suicide. This phenomenon is a “serious public health” really common in
prisons and also still a big issue which people try to challenge. However, sometimes the failure is
unavoidable (WHO 2007). In the last ten, 1560 inmates died inside Italian prisons, of which, 558
committed suicide. As the report on suicide showed, people who committed suicide had certain
problems of mental illness, especially people who do not have social and family support; physical
problems and some others are addicted to drugs (Pelanda 2010). Other factors, such as stress,
conviction of a long sentence, being in custody, can influence inmates to commit suicide (WHO
2007). Most of these people are young and no one has found an explanation for why they want to
commit this decisive act. Every one or two days an inmate commits suicide (Pelanda 2010).
Overcrowding in prisons is another important issue that faces Italy. As Pelanda (2010) argued, in
Italy there are 205 prisons with a total of 43,000 cells and a maximum capacity of 60,000
prisoners. However, overcrowding in prisons still a serious issue. Currently Italian prisons
accommodate more than 64,323 thousand people and each prison has on average 859 inmates. In
addition, there are different categories of inmates due to the type of sentence. The defendants
include those people who are waiting for the pre-trial, pending appeal, recurring, those who are
finally convicted, and those who have partial freedom. Mackinson (2013) argued that 22,770
inmates are foreigners coming largely from Morocco, Tunisa, Romania and Albania. As
aforementioned, on 2009 for the first time Italy was found guilty of violating Article 3 of the
European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) with a particular reference to the issue of
overcrowding. On 5 of June 2012, the ECHR created a sentence called “Pilot”. This was created
11

after seven inmates, from different prisons of Lombardia and Emilia Romagna, complained about
the living conditions in their prison. Some of them were sharing a nine square metres space with
four other people; only three square metres per person. Additionally, restrictions for showers were
imposed owing to the lack of warm water. Another issue was the insufficient lighting inside cells.
This sentence was “in view of the structural and systematic problem of overcrowding in the Italian
prison system” (Maccanico 2013:1). A year was given to Italy to resolve this overcrowding
problem. However on 8 January 2013, Italy failed, after 4,000 inmates had done recourse for these
degrading inhuman conditions. Finally, Italy was fined by the ECHR 100,000 Euros, which was
given to the applicants. Furthermore, Italy was forced to pay 1,500 Euros for inmates’ legal costs
(Maccanico 2013). In the same period, important research on Italian prison system was carried out
by the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture. The published report
highlighted the fact that in many Italian cities, prisons have bad conditions due to the lack of
facilities which worsens the living conditions of inmates (ECHR 2013). According to Della Bella
(2014), the rate of overcrowding in Italian prisons has slightly decreased. In 2011, capacity was
147 %; by2012, it was 145%. Finally, in 2014, the rate decreased further to around 122%. Despite
improvements , overcrowding is still an issue controlled by the ECHR.
Overcrowding in prisons is not only the result of higher crime rates or improved effectiveness in
investigating crimes and sanctioning perpetrators. The problem is also related to the excessive
length of criminal proceedings and the subsequent pre-trail detention. And, above all, it is related to
the insufficient use of non-custodial measures (Baccaro and Morelli 2009). Moreover, in 2010, the
Italian Parliament introduced two new laws called “Reimpicarceri” which are the Bossi-Fini law
against immigration and the Fini-Giovanardi law against drugs. Consequently, people who are
convicted and imprisoned for minor offences, such as minor penalties under three years, continue
to fill Italian prisons (Baudino 2014). Overcrowding in prisons is also a factor which can create
certain effects on offenders and public communities. Offenders who live in certain degrading
conditions can develop mental problems which can create further issues for their re-integration into
communities (Baudino 2014).
Chapter Three - Methodology
In order to gather data in relation to the research topic and aims, qualitative method was adopted.
The qualitative approach is a method which belongs to the Interpretivists’ view. Social researchers
look at the world in a subjective way, studying people’s behaviours, their experiences in details
through a set of specific research methods (Lapan, Qaurtaroli & Reimer 2012). Looking at this
12

research proposal is possible individualised the reason behind the method chosen. Indeed, the
research question focuses on Italian prisons, how this method of punishment works with a
particular reference to the criminal justice system. It aims to understand who needs to be blamed
for those unknown deaths in prisons and in police custodies. In addition, the research question
explores other important issues involved in prisons, such as suicides and overcrowding. As
Letherby and Bywaters (2007) argued, looking at the purpose of a research is the only way to
understand what kind of approach should be used. For Vanderstoep and Johnson (2008:7),
“Qualitative research produces narratives or textual description of the phenomena under study.” In
this research, the interview method was chosen in order to focus on the personal experiences,
attitudes and opinions of certain people in order to have a better understanding of certain issues.
Through the use of the interview method, the researcher gains new knowledge or a different insight
of a certain topic such as the studying of different political views (Kumar 2008).
3.1- Participants.
For this research, five people were selected for an interview and each one for a different purpose.
However, one of the participants had to withdraw at the last minute for unknown reasons.
Moreover, the first participant was Lucia Uva, sister of Giuseppe Uva, who died in police custody.
The sister of the victim was selected as an example of personal experience in this kind of situation,
i.e., a death in custody. It might also be possible to explore the causes behind the victim’s death and
the reaction of his family. However, as Kumar (2008) argued, there may be a problem of validity.
This is because the respondent might give distorted descriptions of attitudes and perceptions when
emotionally involved in a past experience. Thus the researcher need to make sure that the
participant is protected from harm including physical and psychological. Sometimes when people
participate in an interview, expressing themselves can be harmless. For example, in this case
participants can be affected by psychological stress (Love 2012). The second person chosen for this
research is Valentina Calderone, who works for an organisation called “a Buon Diritto”, which look
after the rights of citizens. This is important in order to understand what it is happening within the
Italian Government and the criminal justice system and analysing how public opinions justify these
huge amount of deaths in Italian prisons and who is behind this cruelty and abuse of power. The
third participant is Ricardo Noury, a spokesman of Amnesty International Italy, who knows the
Human Rights inherent to all human being with reference to people who commit offences and go
inside prison to serve the sentence. Furthermore, he was selected because the literature review
explores the problem of Human Rights, which are not fully respected by public authorities, and the
13

problem of the definition of torture. The last interview focused on the Criminal Justice System’s
law, its literature and the gap between academic researches and politics. Indeed the last participant
is Susanna Marietti. She is the national coordinator of the Antigone association, which focuses on
Human Rights with reference to the life of inmates. She also works as a researcher for the the
European Prison Observatory.
3.2- Advantage and disadvantage of the interview - data collection.
The interview chosen is semi-structured. According to Grix (2001), in a semi-structured interview,
the researcher follows a structure but the questions can be flexible because there is not a specific
order to follow. The results is more likely to be more in depth responses from the participants. If
the researchers are not fully satisfied with the answers already given by the participant, they can
always change the subsequent questions. Another benefit of this research method is that
researchers, face-to-face, can easily gain trust and support from participants. Semi-structured
interview is the most common technique used to conduct a research, owing to its flexibility of
asking questions. Also, the findings can be compared, contrasted and transformed into statistics
(Hunter and Dantzker 2006). Moreover, in this research, two different interview guides with
different questions were used, even if each interview focused on the same themes (the questions
schedules are included in Appendix B-C). Each interview lasted an hour and was conducted by
Skype from London to Italy. The access to the participants was gained through an email and
Facebook. It took three weeks before receiving the replies from the participants. In the email, the
purpose of this research was included. After they replied, the participants were sent further
information about the interview, such as the date, its approximate duration and the place. This is
called informed consent, which is considered to be an important ethical issue of the interview
method (the informed consents are included in Appendix A). Indeed, in social research, the
participant needs to be advised of the nature of the research (Klenke 2008)
Thereafter as ethical code, the anonymity (name, details and information shared by respondents) is
guaranteed by the confidentiality form which need to be completed by the participants (Klenke
2008). However, in this research the participants agreed to be part of the research because it could
be a way to gain voice in particular issues, sharing with others their own experiences and
opinions (Babbie and Rubin 2011). Thus, in the transcripts, the real names of the participants were
used. The interview was recorded, translated from Italian to English and transcribed (Appendix D-
E). Using a tape recorder, social researchers can have time to take extra notes and also can be easy
14

to have a better understanding of respondents’ behaviour and reactions. Researchers can have the
opportunity to highlight those particularity that might be important for the purpose of the research
(Babbie & Rubin 2011). However, the interview method also has disadvantages. For example, the
transcription process consumes plenty of time. This research was translated from Italian to English.
The languages are different and cannot literally be translated word for word (Leonardi 2007).
Because Italian is the first language of the researcher, perceiving any reactions to particular
questions and gaining trust was easier. The findings were coded through themes. Each theme was
highlighted in the transcripts with a different colour. These themes were then analysed and
summarised (McKay 2011).
This research is not fully valid and reliable because firstly the research had different interview
guides, thereafter the respondent’s answers to certain questions and findings were difficult to
compare between each other. Thus, qualitative analysis is not generalizable because a small sample
is used. For example, in this research there are only four participants and so the results cannot be
generalised to all the population. Also, if other researchers want to repeat a secondary research,
different results might be obtained. This is because the results of a piece of research are subjective.
In other words, researchers have their own interpretations of the findings of a particular topic
(Potter 1996). In this research there is another limitation: the academic literature review is limited
because this topic is still under research. In Italy, academic books, on this particular topic, are
difficult to find. Furthermore, the data is restricted at the country interested and it cannot represent
other regions and nations.
Chapter Four - Findings
Findings were selected in two ways. Firstly, the data was split into four central themes that arose
during the interviews. The themes are highlighted in different colours (see Appendix C). Green was
used to highlight relative information on abuse of power by public authorities with reference to
Giuseppe Uva’s death. Red identifies all the information about the Italian Criminal Justice System
and police culture. Blue points out details around Crime of Torture. Finally, yellow highlights
additional issues, such as overcrowding and suicide in relation to Italian prisons. Secondly, a
narrative analysis was engaged in order to interpret what participants said and their own opinions
on the currently topic.
15

4.1- Abuse of power by public authorities with reference to Giuseppe Uva’s
death.
Anyway if you asked me, who needs to be blamed for these victims… this answer
should come from the magistrates, but they need to tell me that someone did it!
(Susanna, Coordinator Antigone).
The most predominant theme that emerged from the interviewees addressed the problem of abuse
of power by public authorities in particular circumstances. The discussion revealed that abuse of
power by public authorities, such as Police and Carabinieri, is something common. Each
participant talked about some relevant episodes of violence that occurred in police custody.
Examples of abuse of power and violence were given and the main ones were Stefano Cucchi,
Giuseppe Uva and Federico’s deaths. In addition, police were blamed for these deaths.
Susanna (Coordinator Antigone) argued that “for example, Federico Aldrovandi,
young boy, died in Ferrara in 2005. He was killed by four police men and they were
found guilty and convicted only for 3 years and 6 months of imprisonment. Also at
the time, those police officers complained for their conviction.
(page 33, lines 42-46).
Moreover, Ricardo (Spokesman, Amnesty International) specified the fact that these deaths often
occurs in police custody, which he called “detention centres”. “Who needs to be blamed? The
state. However, we do not know who was really involved” (page 40, lines 270-271).
The various episodes of abuse of power and violence by public authorities demonstrated the
incompetency of the Italian Criminal Justice System for failing to bring justice and truth. This
perspective was shared by all participants. More detailed information about Giuseppe Uva’s death
was given by his sister, who was one of the participants. Lucia (victim’s family) talked about his
brother’s death, what happened on that particular night. She highlighted the fact that she took
photos of hr brother’s body (see Appendix F ) , in which was evident that he may be abused and ill-
treated.
I am not afraid to say that I blame Police and Carabinieri for Giuseppe's death!
They abused their power, beating my brother to death
(Lucia, victim’s family, page 38, lines 194-195).
16

Only one participant pointed out that not all police officers use violence. However, she also argued
that “most of the time police officers protect guilty officers, trying to protect each other”
(Valentina, A Buon Dirittto, page 45, lines 389-392).
4.2 - Italian Criminal Justice System : Police Culture
The Criminal Justice System seems to be an element relevant to all these cases of abuse of power
using violence. As Ricardo (Spokesman Amnesty International) argued (page 1, lines 30-34),
“political institutions always promote public authorities, such as police. This is because they have
always been protected by the government! It is in our culture!”
All participants have the same opinion about the protection of the police seen as a part of our
culture. In the Criminal Justice System, magistrates are the people who need to bring justice.
However, there is a problem of failure in justice when public authorities such as the police are
directly involved in this particular crime. In addition, when an officer is involved in abuse of
power, the case is normally passed and investigated by police and these can be colleagues of the
accused officer.
Thus, as Valentina (A Buon Diritto) claimed, “public authorities usually try to
protect their colleagues, so no one will convict or go against each others. This is
called the ‘Spirit of Brotherhood’, which in the police is relevant” (Page 1; line 34-
39). Aldrovandi, four police officers were blamed and convicted for his murder and
then another sentence, called '' Androvandi Bis'' has been opened , in which
apparently other police officers from Ferrara, were convicted after been accused of
hidden important evidence related to Aldrovandi's death ( Page 45; line 403-407).
The Criminal Justice system seems to be ineffective and incoherent especially in regards to the way
in which punishment is inflicted. This perception was shared by all participants.
4.3- Crime of Torture
17

As mentioned before, it is important to highlight what kind of professional job is done by the
participants. In particular, Susanna and Ricardo. These two participants have shared in depth
knowledge of the profession and their vision of a possible reason of abuse of power by public
authorities with reference to the crime of torture. Indeed, “torture” was the word which was mainly
repeated by participants. Participants claimed that in Italy, in the penal law, torture is not defined as
a specific crime. Ricardo (Spokesman Amnesty International) argued:
There is not a law , which allows people to use torture on offenders or inmates.
There is not a law, which can justify this act. It is simply! Government does not
consider torture as an important social issue, so it is not necessary to introduce its
meaning as crime into Italian penal code
(page 41, lines 304-306).
Moreover, Susanna blames the Parliament as responsible for failing to introduce torture in the
penal code as criminal law. Both participants see this a big issue. Magistrates need to follow the
penal code in order to convict someone for an offence. However, if in the penal code there is no
relevant definition, this means that no one, including police, can be punished for it.
'' Abuse and Torture occurred in Italy in 2001, according to the court ruling, more
than 200 people were tortured by public authorities, however no one has been
convicted for it ''(Ricardo, Spokesman Amnesty International, page 41;line 281-284)
4.4- Overcrowding Prisons and Suicide.
Overcrowding in prisons and suicide were two additional social issues mentioned by the European
Court of Human Rights, in which Italy was also convicted and fined. This particular topic is well
known to all participants. They claimed that even though Italy had been fined by the ECHR,
nothing changed. There has been a small improvement in overcrowding. However, it is still an
issue in which Italy has failed and is failing. This problem is justified in different ways. A
highlighted problem is how the criminal justice system works, its penal code and the way
punishment is inflicted. A problem related to the Italian criminal justice system is that people are
held in custody, in pre-trial, until convictions are given. As Susanna (Coordinator Antigone)
argued:
Punishment is strong against weak people and its results weak against strong people
(page 34, lines 65-66).
18

''Torreggiani is a ''pilot sentence'' set up by the European Court of Human Rights,
Mister Torreggiani is an inmate who claimed that he was living in degrading and
inhuman conditions for several months, with other 6 inmates, into a cell with 3
square metres per person. This sentence was a guide to follow in order to sort out
the overcrowding issue' (Valentina, A Buon Diritto page 45-46; line 418-422).
''We also have an office that deals with case around abuse of inmates, for example
the famous '' Torregiani Case'' that we brought to the European Court of the Human
Rights (Susanna, Coordinator of Antigone Association, page 32-33; line 18-20)
Furthermore, even if the interviews were on specific social issues, other important factors were
raised by participants which can justify the reason of overcrowding in prisons and the violence and
aggression against offenders on behalf of public authorities. Punishment and social inequalities
seem to be important problems. These two latter factors are used by the participant as an additional
justification of overcrowding in prisons. Most of the people sent to prisons are from lower social
classes and/or are immigrants. The length and the type of punishment have been set up in order to
control the social classes. Susanna (Coordinator Antigone) says:
It is evident that the Fini-Bossi immigration law has been created only to punish
people, such as immigrants (page 34; lines 71-73)
Another punishment, for people addicted to drugs, was mentioned: set up in order to eliminate
those people from the society. Valentina (Coordinator Antigone) argued that, “[The] Criminal
Justice system should not punish people who take drugs, in contrast they should be sent to
institutional places, such as probation” (page 2; line 74-77). Suicide as participants claimed can be
a consequences of overcrowding prisons and to the social inequalities. Suicide is an act, which is
common in prisons.
Italy has a high percentage of suicides, in comparison to other countries in the
world (Susanna, Coordinator Antigone, page 35; line 102-103).
The same perspective was shared by all participants. Most of the people who committed suicide in
prison already had difficult lives outside. Indeed, inmates were from broken families, immigrants,
or people who were only waiting for a pre-trial. In addition, drug dealers and people addicted to
19

drugs also commonly commit suicide. Also, as already mentioned, living conditions, such as lack
of heating, warm water, and space, contribute to the act of killing oneself.
5- Analysis
This chapter aims to outline what participants’ views mean to existing arguments in the field. But
also a new literature was cited in order to analyse new information given by participants. There
will be a comparison and discussion of their opinions to findings made by other researchers. This
will be done following the previous themes.
The findings of the second theme “Italian Criminal Justice System: Police Culture” both supports
and contradicts the studies of Pallida (2014) and Tanzi (2009) and Beetham (2002), all of whom
suggest that the criminal justice system is in part responsible for the abuse of power by public
authorities. Indeed, political parties support and protect police because of culture but also for other
reasons, such as obtaining votes for elections. In fact, as IBP (2014) and Tanzi (2009) previously
argued, the Italian State spends huge amounts of money on defences. Italy has five different types
of police and each one composed most of the vote in the political elections.
However for this topic, participants introduce a different perspective which can be related to
20

“Police Culture”. They claimed that there is a protection between forces, a kind of solidarity,
named “Brotherhood” that does not permit successful investigations of criminal cases in which
police officers might be directly involved. This statement’s veracity is recognised in criminological
theories. An important factor which develop the “Brotherhood” is the isolation mentality of police
officers. Police see themselves out of the society, they feel isolated. Normally they cannot trust
people outside of their police community in which belong. Consequently, there is a sort of
solidarity among police, where loyalty and trust for each other develop (Ivkovic 2005). However, a
police culture may have a negative impact on police officers’ attitudes and behaviours through
enforcement of norms constituting the ‘code of silence’ (Ivkovic 2005:81).
On one side, previous studies suggest that this abuse of power is due to the corruption of the
political system. This problem of “corruption”, as previously mentioned by Verdelli (2014), is
evident in the case of Giuseppe Uva’s death. Indeed, Agostino Abate, the Attorney of Uva’s case,
has recently decided to close the case without having found any responsible for Uva’s death.
During the investigation, Abate changed the version of Uva’s death story two times. He also
decided to fight in court against the Lucia’s family instead of findings those responsible. On the
other side, the other participants do not mention the word “corruption”, but they pointed out the
inconsistency and ineffectiveness of the Italian Criminal Justice System in reference to magistrates
and public authorities. This is confirmed by Crocetta (2015) who argues that the criminal justice
system is still slow and ineffectiveness. Instead, the previous literature, in particular Pallida (2014),
focuses on the political system. It is argued that Parliament does not have enough knowledge about
the reality of the police. Also, as Beetham (2002) earlier stated, the judicial organ of power, in
particular the public authorities, have their own autonomy, which are not controlled by the
Parliament.
The theme around “Crime and Torture” is supported in the previous literature, by Marchesi (2008),
who argued that the absence of a specific crime of “torture” in Italy is another factor which,
unconditionally, allows police and public authorities to abuse their power and citizens. This is
further supported by the participants who highlight the point that Government does not see torture
as a social issue and also is responsible for having failed to introduce torture as a crime into the
penal code. Moreover, the study of Marchesi (2008) found that the crime of torture is indeed
written into the Italian penal law. However, the definition focuses on the pain and the suffering
inflicted. Thus, Parliament wants to introduce a second definition, which will exclude public
authorities such as the police from the crime of torture. This would automatically permit them to
use violence on offenders. This is an additional piece of evidence that shows the protection of the
21

public authorities by Parliament with reference to the political parties. Indeed, introducing the
definition of “Reato Proprio” into the crime of torture automatically excludes public authorities
from this offences thereby allowing them to abuse of their power
Earlier in the Chapter 2.4, additional social issues have been discussed, such as overcrowding in
prisons and suicides which are in particular related to the Italian Criminal Justice System. As
mentioned earlier, Pelanda (2010) and Mackinson (2010) stated that the issue of overcrowding
seems to be a social problem in which Italy was convicted and fined by the ECHR. The ECHR
created a plot judgement procedures, called “Torreggiani”, which pointed out several measures
which Italy needed to undertake in order to resolve overcrowding. This information was also
highlighted by participants. One in particular, Susanna, argued that the Antigone Association was
responsible for having brought the cases of the inmate “Torreggiani” to the European Court of
Human Rights in order to report that Italy had violated the Article 3 of the ECHR.
In addition, findings suggest that this social issue has been improved. However, it is still under
consideration. A particular reasons, which can explain overcrowding in prisons, was given by
participants. The fact that people endure lengthy waits for a sentence in custody is highlighted.
This argument was already recognised by academics, including Pelanda (2010), who stated that
before someone is convicted, they usually need to stay in custody in pre-trail, pending appeal or
recurring for a certain time. However, Davoli and Raffaelli (2014) raise another important point,
which demonstrated that overcrowding prisons owing to the lack of non-custodial measures.
Consequently, prisons are filled up of people who already have a hard life outside, such as people
who are addicted to drugs and from broken families. This latter is suggested by participants who
argue that there is unfair punishment and a selection in regards to the convictions of offenders. In
both finding and previous literature, the problem of social inequalities within the criminal justice
system are pointed out. This is shown by two laws called Fini-Bossi against immigration and Fini-
Giovananrdi against drugs, which allow magistrates to give a hardest punishment against certain
types of crimes.
Suicide, as mentioned in Pelanda’s (2010) study, is a concern exacerbated by overcrowding in
prisons. People, waiting for a sentence or already convicted, cannot live in degrading inhuman
condition such as sharing a cells in which each inmate has only three square metres. However,
suicide in prisons is also committed by people with certain problems of mental illness or who are
addicted to drugs. This is further confirmed by participants who suggest that living conditions,
such as lack of heating or warm water, can contribute to the act of suicide. Moreover, participants
22

also mentioned that people who are addicted to drugs are more likely to commit suicide due to
abstinence, suggesting that the criminal justice system should help them instead of locking them in
a cell.
Conclusion
This dissertation aimed at exploring various social issues related to the criminal justice system and
abuse of power with particular regards to cases of deaths in police custody. Abuse of power seems
to occur often in police custody. For example, Cucchi and Uva’s deaths are cases of deaths relevant
both in literature and findings, which is also highlighted by the media. As previously argued,
someone is clearly responsible for these deaths. However, currently nobody has been convicted
because sometimes magistrates find really difficult to apportion responsibility and blame. This is
because Parliament, and especially the criminal justice system, does not have enough knowledge of
the reality of the police. Indeed, on one hand some academic researchers argued that the Italian
Criminal Justice System is incapable and ignorance and has lack of skills which can be helpful in
order bring truth and justice. On the contrary, other researchers argued that abuse of power is due
to the corruption within the political system.
The corruption within the political system might be considered because, for example, in political
parties there is still a certain protection versus police culture. Indeed, police culture is surrounded
by protection from political parties and Parliament. Moreover, in political elections, the various
political parties obtain most of the votes from public authorities. Another important point is that
within police culture exists the feeling of Brotherhood. Indeed, police are usually isolated from
society, so they need to protect each others. Consequently, if a police officer is investigated by a
colleague, the investigation will be not fully valid. In Italy a specific crime of torture has not been
introduced into the penal code yet. This is an additional factor which might be relevant in
magistrates’ work when they need to find those responsible for a crime. Automatically, this allows
public authorities, such as the police, to use violence against offenders. Also, magistrates need to
follow the penal code, so if torture is not specified as a crime, no one can be convicted.
Even if this research focuses on abuse of power within custody, other social issues, such as
overcrowding in prisons and suicides, which are connected to abuse of power and prisons, were
raised by academic researchers. Overcrowding in prisons is another problem within the Italian
Criminal Justice System. Italy was found guilty and successively convicted for violating Article 3
23

of the European Convention of Human Rights. Inmates were living in degrading and inhuman
conditions, such as sharing three square metres into a cell. Two possible explanations to this, such
as the excessive length of criminal proceedings and the subsequent pre-trail detention and the
insufficient use of non-custodial measures, are given by academic researchers. Unfair punishments
and social inequalities seem to be two important reasons which can give an answer to the question
of why prisons are filled up of certain types of offenders, such as people addicted to drugs or from
broken families. Moreover, suicide is found to be an effect of overcrowding in prisons. In Italy,
there is a high level of suicides in prison. People who commit suicide are normally from the lower
classes.
Overall, this research project is a single case study, so it is not possible to generalise these findings
to the whole population, due to the low numbers of participants involved in this research. However,
three participants have a high level of knowledge of this particular topic and a high position in
society so it is possible to argue that their opinions should be take into consideration. Moreover,
another side of the Italian Criminal Justice System, its incapability and ineffectiveness, was raised
by participants, which can debate the previous literature about the Italian political corruption.
Through this enquiry, in the future another research around Criminal Justice System power of
police and social inequalities, can be drawn.
Appendix A
UNIVERSITY OF LONDON METROPOLITAN
FORM OF CONSENT TO TAKE PART IN A RESEARCH PROJECT
CONFIDENTIAL
Investigation:
Brief outline of the project , including an outline of the procedures to be used: The aims
of the research is to understand the reasons behind the mysterious deaths inside police
custody in Italy. There is a particular focus in understanding what it is happening in Italy ,
who is behind these deaths and the abuse of power by the Italian State and Police officers. In
24

addition , it will look at the different opinions shared by the audience. This project is a
qualitative methods , semi-structure interview by Skype. The interview you are about to take
a part in will be tape recorded. All the answers that you will give will remain confidential.
Your views are really important for us, but it is up to you to decide whether or not you would
like to take a part. There is no pressure to do so. It also important to note that there are not
right or wrong answers; just be as open as you can. If you agree to take part please read and
sign the consent form( Attached). If you do consent but find that do want to continue , you
can withdraw at any time without giving an explanation.
Thank you.
Participant Consent Form:
Consent Statement:
I have read the information sheet. Yes
I have had an opportunity to ask questions about the research Yes
and am satisfied by the answers given
I am clear about the purpose of the study and willingly volunteer Yes
to be involved.
I agree to be recognised in the research with my personal details. Yes
I am aware of what participating in this study will involve. Yes
25

I am aware that I can withdraw from the interview at any time Yes
without proving a reason for doing so.
I agree to participate
Signature : Susanna Meretti
Date: 20/12/14
Consent Statement:
to be involved.
26

Signature : Ricardo Noury
Date: 18/12/14
Consent Statement:
to be involved.
27

Signature : Valentina Calderone
Date: 15/12/14
Consent Statement:
to be involved.
28

Signature : Lucia Uva
Date: 10/01/15
Appendix B
Interview Guide Question 1
Do you want to be identified in the research?
Could you briefly introduce yourself?
Could you explain your relationship to Giuseppe Uva?
Can you tell me how your brother got involved in crime?
Had Giuseppe Uva been in prison before?
Can you tell me what is happened to your brother?
Do you know why Giuseppe went to prison?
After Giuseppe was arrested , did you see him again? Or did he contact you?
So after his death , what is it happened? What did the court declare? Who was considered guilty of
his death?
What are the evidences in the body of... might show the causes of his death?
Who do you think was behind Giuseppe murder? Police? Prisons authorities , doctors..etc.. Do you
have any evidences that show that?
Did someone who work for the government (police, prisons authorities, lawyers) stay by your side?
29

What do you think about the work of the Italian criminal justice system with regards to your
personal experience?
What do you think about public authorities such as police, prisons guards is their job effective? Are
they under control of the government or are they separate from other public authorities?
Appendix C
Interview Guide Question 2
Would you like to tell me something about yourself?
Do you want to be identified in the research?
Have you ever heard about case of suicides and murder into Italian prisons in the last 14 years?
What are you knowledge around these issues?
Who do you think was behind .. these murder? Police? Prisons authorities , doctors..etc..
What do you know about the murder of Giusepper Uva ?
Do you have any evidences that might show or confirmed your theory?
What do you think about the work of the Italian Criminal Justice System?
what about the punishment? Is it equal for everyone?
Is the Italian criminal justice system effective? Is it link to politics or they can take different
decisions?
What do you think about public authorities such as police, prisons guards is their job effective? Are
they under control of the government or are they separate from other public authorities?
30

What do you think about the government? Who give instructions to them? do you think the Italian
State ( Public authorities?) are corrupted or not strong enough to stop these murders and suicides?
In the last 14 years , 2363 people died inside prisons and 863 of them committed suicide, do you
think were they real suicides or some might be simulated?
On the 2013, Italy was fined of 100.000 euro by the European Court in Strasburg for its inhuman
living conditions for prisoners, what do you think about it? Do you think the authorities who work
for the Criminal justice system took it serious and will try to change or it will be continues to be
the same?
So according to the statistics Italian prisons are overcrowded, do you know the reason behind? Can
you suggest something that might improve this situation?
Also it is argued that the prison should be the safest place in the world, so why people are scared to
go inside? Do you think the Italian State respects the prisoners’ rights? And what about the Human
Rights?
Do you know what the problems are with the Human rights and prisons rights?
31

Appendix D
Example of Interview Transcription (translated into English)
Interview Guide N° 1 : Susanna Meretti
Interview by Skype: London -Italy. January 2015
Susanna Meretti was the first interviewer for this research. She is the Coordinator of
Antigone association and works as researcher in the European Prison Observatory. The
research question is Unsolved Deaths into Italian Prisons , abuse or power, murder or
suicide: The Reality of the Italian Criminal Justice System.
Interviewee: Good Morning Susanna. How are you?
Interviewer: I am very well! Thank you!
Interviewee: I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to have an interview with
you today. I am a student, at the third year of criminology, at the London Metropolitan University. I
decided to do my dissertation around the issues within Italian prisons and the inhuman conditions
in which inmates lives. My research question is Unsolved Deaths into Italian Prisons , abuse or
power, murder or suicide: The Reality of the Italian Criminal Justice System. But before to start , i
would to ask you if you would like to be identified in my research?
Interviewer : Yes ! It is fine!
Interviewee: so firstly , would you like to tell me something about yourself?
Interviewer: I am the Coordination of the ''Antigone Organisation'' which was set up in the 1991.
Before this organisation was only a magazine. This organisation looks after the prisons rights. In
32
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

the 1998 the Observatory of Italian Prisons was developed by this organisation after gained full
authorisations from the Italian Ministry of Justice. An unique case in Europe, 45 – 50 people who
work for this organisation , are allowed to visit Italian prisons , basically they have the same
power of public authorities , for example people who work in the parliament. Indeed those people
have free access in prisons . Since 1998 , every year we visit Italian prisons and we publish the
annual report about prisons and its conditions. In addition , we also have an office that deals with
case around abuse of inmates, for example the famous '' Torregiani Case'' that we brought to the
European Court of the Human Rights. Few years ago , we decided to connect our organisation with
other organisation around Europe, so then we set up the European Observatory, where each
organisation of each country can use their own tools to help and look after prisons and inmates. In
particular, Italy has the authorisations from the Ministry of Justice, so still a particular rare case.
Usually organisations , from other countries , work with lawyers and public authorities in order to
gain access to certain information. Instead , Italy presented a good project to the European court
and won the funds to create the ''European Prisons Observatory''. I also work in this organisation as
researcher.
Interviewee: Perfect! Thanks for your information, your job sounds really interesting! Now I
would to ask you if have you ever heard about case of suicides and murder into Italian prisons in
the last 14 years? What are you knowledge around these issues?
Interviewer: Well, the rate of suicide is definitely bigger than one showed by statistics. What do
you mean by murders?
Interviewee: Wait, before let me give you more information of what I am doing in this research,for
my research I will also interview other people, such as the families of the two victims , Giuseppe
Uva and Federico Perna, who were beaten to death in custody and prisons.
Interviewer: oh OK... you are talking about the cases of abuse of power and torture!now it is more
cleared! Yes! There are two victims , who died into police custody and prison. Lucia Uva is still
fighting together with Ilaria Cucchi and Domenica Ferrulli. Remember in Italy , we do not have a
law against Torturer.
Interviewee: I would like to know , who do you think we need to blame for all these deaths?
Interviewer: Well, I am not able to blame anyone , because I am not a magistrate , however I know
that someone needs to be blame of this deaths! Also , in Italy , rarely , in some episodes who
violence , some people were found involved , some are public authorities. For example, Federico
Aldrovandi, young boy, died in Ferrara in 2005. He was killed by four police men and they were
found guilty and convicted only for 3 years and 6 months of imprisonment . Also at the time, those
police officers complained for their conviction. They asked to be sent to probation instead of
prison. For me , this is was ridiculous!
33
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47

Another example is the sentence for Stefano Cucchi, which all the defendants were acquitted. No
one is found guilty , especially police did not appear in one of the sentences, even if Cucchi was
killed inside police custody. I believe that a particular protection is around public authorities, this
show the opposite of a democracy state. our state should be free and protect our rights , however
the story of Torture as a crime can demonstrate the opposite. As a mentioned before, we do not
have any law against crime of torture , many times people tried to introduce this law , however it
always been stopped by members of Parliament. Antigone Association is still fighting for the
introduction of law against Torture.
Anyway if you asked me , who need to be blame for these victims.. this answer should come from
the magistrates , but they need to tell me that someone did it! Because the episodes are not too
difficult to investigate into it. For example ,usually in prisons, maximum 50 people works there,
and I believe that those responsible are not difficult to find , especially into a prison , which the
environment is closed. This means that someone saw something but does not want to talk about it.
It is evident.! We need to understand the reason behind this protection.
Interviewee: Yeah ! This is true, we need to understand who is behind all these episodes of murder
and violence. So do you think about the Criminal Justice system, is the punishment equal for
everyone? O depends on the people involved? Or on magistrates?
Interviewer: I believe that in overall , the criminal justice system (Before than now)
works in two different ways, its punishment is strong against weak people and it results weak
against strong people, indeed if you look at the prison population, most of them are poor people,
with economic disadvantages, however there is not a reason why only poor people need to be sent
to prisons. For example, anthropologists did not affirm that all the poor are more criminals then
high classes , I do not see any reason why people from the south are more criminals than people
from the north . Also I do not see why foreigners are more criminals than italian people. It is
evident that a section into law has been created to punish people , such as immigrates . For
example the Fini-Bossi Law against immigration. What about the people addicts to drugs? Those
people are treated as criminals, we should have use a different approach based on health , on social
politics. We you only punish big drug traffickers , leaving those young people , who only sell some
weed or hashish because they need some money to survive. On contrary we should help them. We
can see that criminalisation is a big issue in society. While others crimes , such as white collar
crimes are invisible to the society. In prison, this type of offender represent only 4% of the total
inmates.
Interviewee: do you think that the criminal justice system is politicised? Is it everything linked to
the government?
Interviewer: In general, public authorities, such a police, are under the control of the Minister of
34
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82

Interior. However it is politicised. For example, you know already about the fine given by the
European Court of Human Rights because Italy violated the Article 3 of the Human Rights. I can
tell you that until now Italy has done a lot changes and set up few reforms in order to sort out some
issues, such as overcrowding prison.
Interviewee: So in which way police and other public authorities are under the power of the
government?
Interviewer: it is difficult to answer... but if you think , laws exists so public authorities need to
follow them. Laws are also over the government , so everyone need to respect them. The only fact
is that the impunity for public authorities, but this is under all governments , public authorities are
protected and and most of the time are unpunished! In all the sentences were police were involved,
nothing happened , no one has been convicted. This is because the Parliament failed in the
introduction of the crime of Torture I the Italian penal code. But on the other side, there Is the
choice of criminalisation, who need to be criminalised, for example, in Italy public prosecutors
have their own autonomy, they do not depend on the politics or government, so they follow their
own way. Moreover, magistrates and courts are governed by the High Council of Judiciary, which
is not governed by the government or parliament, it is autonomous.
I believe that since Italy became a Republic, there is a certain culture , which create a sense of
protection in respect of public authorities. So people create theories in which some people, such as
drugs dealer are those people who need to be punished while police is seen as heroes.
Interviewee: in the last 14 years , 2363 people died inside prisons and 863 of them committed
suicide, do you think were they real suicides or some might be simulated?
Interviewer: Well I believe that , the majority of suicides into prisons are real suicides, Italy has
an high percentage of suicides, in comparison to other countries in the world. This is for two
reasons: the first reason, as already mentioned, is because our criminal justice system has a way
of selecting offenders, which normally are people , who are marginalised from society. So people,
who are send to jail,have already a difficult social life, such as broken families, employed,
problems of addiction to drugs. In addition to this , the second reason is that these people are send
inside an environment ,in which life conditions are not really easy, in which until an year ago ,
people were living in an overcrowding environment. Today the conditions are a bit better,
however Italian prisons still overcrowded. In prisons there is a lack of healthcare, sometimes
heatings are not working. Also most of the time , inmates stay inside the cells for twenty hours
without doing anything . Sometimes people are sent to a prison that is far from home, so for them
is difficult to see their own families. So these are reasons that can make people think about suicide
as the only way to escape from these problems. On the other side, I think that between these
number of suicides, there may be a case in which the person did not decide to commit voluntary
35
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117

suicide but maybe there is someone behind his death. Sometimes , people do not investigate behind
a case of suicide. For example , a men, who died few years ago into Bari's prison, no one
investigated on this suicide and I think there was the need to investigate.
Interviewee: -On the 2013, Italy was fined of 100.000 euro by the European Court in Strasburg for
its inhuman living conditions for prisoners , what do you think about it? Do you think the Italian
State took it serious and will try to change or it will be continues to be the same?
Interviewer: firstly, on 8 January 2013, Italy was not only fined by the European Court, that
money were only the first amount, because then a huge amount of inmates tried to appeal for the
same problems. 100.000 euro were given to 7 inmates, the first was Torreggiani, which his
sentence is the famous ''Torreggiani sentence'', indeed Italy was convicted of violating the Article
3. This fact is awful , because we have a modern democracy and we cannot still have problems
such as violence or tortures.
After European court fined Italy, created a ''Pilot Sentence'' in which there are politic instructions ,
which Italy must to follow. These instructions were combined by three main tasks: in one year
Italy needed to sort out the problem of overcrowding prisons, needed to create a new way of
effctive justice , so an inmate can complain for problems regarding the Article 3, and also needed
to create a compensatory mechanism for those people , who suffered for the same problems
regarding Article 3, so they can be compensated with money.
So after that, Italy set up new reforms and decree, I believe that in the last year, these changes were
positive and the living conditions into prisons are much better, however there is still a lot work to
do on these issues.
Interviewee: so what do you think Italy should change or improve?
Interviewer: Well after sort this problem of overcrowding prisons, I will definitely improve the
healthcare, indeed into prisons, there is a lack of healthcare,also I will improve the right of
education and work, because most of the prisoners do not work, sometimes they only work , 2
hours per day ,two times a week , which it is ridiculous!.
Interviewee: Well, Susanna, I believe you answer to all my questions. Thank you very much for
your time . I will send you a copy of my dissertation! Have a good day!
36
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145

Appendix E
Interview Guide N 2 : Lucia Uva:
Interview on Skype: London -Italy. January 2015
Lucia Uva is the sister of Giuseppe Uva. This interview is the only one with these specific
questions.
Intervistatore: -Prima di tutto le volevo chiedere se vuole essere identificata con nome e cognome
nella mia tesi di laurea, o se vuole essere anonima?
Intervistato:Si, voglio essere idenficata con nome e cognome.
Intervistatore: Puo' brevemente raccontarmi di se stessa? Di che cosa si occupa nella vita?
Intervistato:Mi chiamo Lucia Uva, sono mamma di 4 figli e nonna di 5 nipoti. Sono sposata con
mio marito Paolo da 13 anni e viviamo insieme ai nostri piccoli "bambini", come li chiamiamo noi:
i nostri 8 cani! Mi occupo della mia grande famiglia e della mia casa.
Intervistatore: Potrebbe dirmi qual'era la sua relazione con Giuseppe ?
Intervistato:Giuseppe Uva era mio fratello minore. Avevamo un bel rapporto, come quello che si
può avere tra sorella e fratello fatto di bisticci, abbracci, sorrisi e tanto tanto bene.
Intervistatore: Mi potrebbe raccontare cose è successo a Giuseppe?
Intervistato:La sera del 14 giugno 2008 dopo aver finito di lavorare, una volta a casa e fatta una
doccia Giuseppe va a casa dell'amico Alberto Biggiogero a vedere la partita di pallone.
Finita la partiti sono usciti e si sono recati in un bar di via Dandolo a Varese. Dopo aver bevuto un
pochino, decidono di uscire dal bar e vedono delle transenne sistemate al alto della strada.
Quelle stesse transenne sarebbero servite il giorno dopo perchè era prevista una festa in paese.
Giuseppe e Alberto decidono di transennare la strada e quindi di modificare la viabilità della strada.
A un certo punto passa di li una pattuglia di carabinieri e si ferma. Come testimoniato da Alberto,
subito si fermano e in malo modo e con toni accesi fermano e portano dentro la macchina sia lui
che Giuseppe perportarli dritti in caserma.
Intervistatore: Sai perchè era stato in arrestato ?
37
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166

Intervistato: Giuseppe non è stato arrestato, è stato portato in caserma e sottoposto a un fermo
perchè aveva transennato la strada e commesso, come detto da loro, il reato di "disturbo alla quiete
pubblica".
Intervistatore: Dopo che Giuseppe venne arrestato, l hai più rivisto? O lui l ha contattata?
Intervistato:Si, l'ho rivisto ma purtroppo senza vita. L'ho visto il giorno dopo, verso le 15 del
pomeriggio sul tavolo dell'obitorio. La mattina dell'accaduto Giuseppe aveva fatto contattare dal
personale medico dell'ospedale di Circolo di Varese le altre mie due sorelle.Io quella mattina ero in
viaggio per le vacanze e quando ho ricevuto la telefonata di mio figlio dove mi diceva che mio
fratello era morto, ho fatto subito retromarcia e mi sono recato all'ospedale.
Intervistatore:Dopo la sua morte cos'e successo? Cosa hanno dichiarato i magistrati in corte?
Intervistato:Secondo il pm, i carabinieri e tutti coloro che hanno inizialmente svolto le indagini,
Giuseppe sarebbe morto per un cocktail di farmaci sbagliati.Solo con la seconda autopsia, voluta
da me e la mia famiglia, abbiamo scoperto la triste verità che purtroppo temevo: Giuseppe è morto
per le lesioni subite che hanno provocato un arresto cardiaco.
Intervistatore: Chi era/è stato dichiarato colpevole per la morte di Giuseppe?
Intervistato:Della morte di Giuseppe erano stati incolpati i medici dell'ospedale Circolo di Varese
ma sono tutti stati assolti durante il processo durato 4 anni.
Intervistatore: Che tipo di evidenze ci sono che riguardano la morte di Giuseppe?
Intervistato:Oltre alle palesi contraddizioni dei carabinieri testimoniate dalle intercettazioni rese
note e pubbliche anche nel fim-documento del regista Adriano Chiarelli, ci sono numerose foto del
corpo del mio povero fratello scattate proprio da me perchè per mia fortuna quel terribile giorno,
dovendo partire per le vaacanze, avevo in borsa una macchina fotografica e ho avuto il sangue
freddo di fotografare il corpo di mio fratello.
Era pieno di ematomi e contusioni, sulla mano e sulla faccia si potevano anche notare delle
bruciature di sigaretta.Sui vestiti che Giuseppe indossava quella sera, precisamente sul cavallo dei
pantaloni, c'era una macchia di sangue di 16 cm e larga 6. Sulla cintura, sulle scarpe e sulle calze
c'erano macchie e schizzi di sangue, in tutto 78.
Intervistatore: A chi daresti la colpa della sua morte? E perchè? , inoltre è una sua intuizione o ci
sono delle evidenze chiare che affermano quello che hai appena raccontato?
Intervistato:Io do' la colpa ai carabinieri e ai poliziotti che quella notte erano con Giuseppe.
Penso, e non ho paura a dirlo, che abbiano abusato del loro potere e abbiano picchiato mio fratello.
Loro si difendono dicendo che mio fratello era agitato tanto da autolesionarsi. Dichiarano inoltre
che le lesioni riportate se le sarebbe autoinferte proprio in caserma. Alla luce di queste
dichiarazioni io mi chiedo, com'è possibile che sei uomini non siano riusciti a contenere un uomo
solo? Anche se questo agitato così tanto da farsi del male? Non credo per niente a questa versione,
38
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201

e credo proprio che le dichiarazioni dei carabinieri contenute in quelle intercettazioni, dove
ridacchiando tra loro affermano che Giuseppe era "contenibile" e "debole" rispetto all'uomo
fermato la notte precedente, siano ulteriori prove a favore della mia tesi.
Intervistatore: Qualcuno che lavora per il governo (esempio polizia, guardie penintenziarie
avvocati o politici) è /sono stati al tuo fianco per la lotta alla giustizia di Giuseppe?
Intervistato:Certo, molti mi sono stati vicino e mi hanno sempre sostenuta durante questa mia
battaglia. Tutt'oggi mi sostengono e continuano con me questa lotta per la verità.
In primis i miei grandi avvocati, Zanzi e Ambrosetti, il Senatore Luigi Manconi che con la sua
associazione "A buon diritto" mi ha sempre sostenuta, il movimento 5 stelle, i radicali e il pd.
Un grande sostegno l'ho avuto anche dal mondo di Facebook.
Intervistatore: Cosa ne pensi del sistema di giustizia italiano? E sulle pene inflitte ai detenuti? Sono
uguali per tutti?
Intervistato:Penso che il sistema di giustizia italiano sia inefficiente, inadeguato e "funzioni" a
rallentatore. Credo inoltre sia ingiusto e non coerente. Dico questo perchè non riesco a capire
secondo quali criteri vengono inflitte le pene troppo dure in certi casi e troppo poco dure in altri.
Intervistatore: Cosa ne pensi del Ministero della Giustizia, del Consiglio superiore della
magistratura ( CSM) ? Credi che sono troppo deboli per fermare quello che sta succedendo nelle
carceri italiane? (Il CSM non riesce a trovare i colpevoli di queste morti o semplicemente
nasconde l evidenze?)
Intervistato:Il CSM, per quanto mi riguarda, ci prova a fare il suo lavoro. Ci prova a trovare i
colpevoli di queste "misteriose" morti, ma combattere contro dei muri, contro le bugie e contro chi
nasconde la verità non è per niente semplice.
Intervistatore: Cosa pensa che sia il problema della prigioni sovraffollate? La polizia che fa il suo
dovere? Criminali in prigione? Cosa potrebbe essserci dietro tutto questo?
Intervistato: Ritengo le condizioni delle carceri italiane assolutamente vergognose e drammatiche.
Il sovraffollamento grava sulle condizioni di vita dei detenuti e questo è un problema che lo Stato
non è in grado di risolvere, e di questo ne abbiamo purtroppo infinite prove. Il carcere dovrebbe
essere un posto dove viene promossa la riabilitazione del detenuto che ha commesso il crimine, ma
sappiamo benissimo che questo non avviene, o per lo meno avviene raramente.Ormai sembra che
l'unica cosa che venga promossa sia l'umiliazione dei detenuti, il maltrattamento e la non curanza
dei loro diritti.
Intervistato: Ti ringrazio davvero tanto per aver trovato tempo per questa intervista, ti mandero' la
copia della tesi. Buona Giornata!
39
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234

Interview Guide N° 3 :Ricardo Noury.
Ricardo is a spokesman of Amnesty International Italy, who knows the Human Rights inherent to
all human being with reference to people who commit offences and go inside prison to serve the
sentence.
Intervistatore: Salve, come sta? Prima di tutto la ringrazio di avere accettato di far l intervista, se
non mi sente bene me lo dica!
Intervistato: si, si, Perfetto!
Intervistatore: anche io , grazie mille. Prima di tutto volevo introdurre me stessa, sono una
studentessa all ultimo anno di criminologia a Londra e ho deciso di fare la tesi su dei problemi che
ci sono in Italia per quanto riguarda le prigioni italiane e sopratutto sugli abusi di potere. Quindi sto
cercando di intervistare alcune persone che hanno conscenze su questo livello. Prima di tutto
volevo ringraziarti di averti dato l oppportunità di intervistarla e volevo sapere se voi essere
identificata nella mia tesi di laurea?
Intervistato: Certo, mi puoi identificare come Riccardo Nuory, portavoce di Amnesty International
per l Italia.
Intervistato: io lavoro per L amnesty International, per il blog come il Fatto Quotidiano , per il
Corriere della Sera e per un sito di giornalisti che si chiama L Articolo 21. Lavoro all Amnesty
International dal 1980 e sono portavoce dal 2002
Intervistatore: quindi cosa fai nell' amnesty international
Intervistato: come portavoce , mi occupo un po di tutto. Sono la persona che racconta ai media
quello che Amnesty international fa. Quindi devo avere una competenza generale sui paesi, sulle
campagne che portiamo avanti a livello globale . Poi ho I miei ambiti piu specifici che sono sulla
medio orientale. E la pena di morte e la tortura.
Intervistatore: Hai mai sentito parlare di omicidi e suicidi che avvengono all interno delle carceri
italiane?
Intervistato: Si pero devo precisare una cosa , sarebbe piu corretto definirli centro di detenzione ,
infatto luoghi dove sono avvenuti queste morti, in alcuni casi non sono neanche luoghi di
dentenzione, perche in alcuni casi , persone sono state uccise dalle forze di polizia in luoghi , in
strada. Come aldrovandi. O nel caso di Stefano Cucchi e Giuseppe Uva, non è correto carceri ma
sono centri di traattenimento , di dentenzione. Giuseppe Uva è stato portato nella stazione di
polizia. Quindi in inglese sarebbe la police custody. Persono private della liberta, e tenuti in un
40
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261

posto per un interrogatorio, un fermo ecc.
Intervistatore: Quindi cosa ne pensi di questi omicidi, a chi darebbe la colpa?
Intervistato: beh in tanto il primo elemento importante è che a fronte di un sacco di morti
avvenute nelle mani delle forze di polizia , quindi in custodia , o in carcere o in altri luoghi, negli
ospedali psichiatrici , il fatto che in pochissimi casi ci sia un processo che è arrivato alla
conclusione , che stabilisce chi è responsabile indica che ci sono due ordini di problemi. Il primo è
quello generale del ritardo della giustizia italiana, e il secondo un po piu grave e rilevante è quello
dell inpunita. Per amnesty international questa parola è la chiave di comprensione di tanti
fenomeni della violazione dei diritti umani. La mancanza di volonta da parte delle istituzioni e
delle autorità, la mancanza di volonta di cercare verita e giustiza. Chi è stato? È stato lo stato, ma
nella maggior parte dei casi non sappiamo chi, e volte non sappiamo quali immagini sono state
fatte all interno per chiarire la responsabilita, quindi l elemento che emerge da questo è qesto
sistema di inpunità che rende difficile accertare la verità.
Intervistatore: quindi cosa ne pensa del sistema giudiziario italiano? Sulle pene che vengono
inflitte, sono uguali per tutti o c'è una selezione?
Intervistato: questa è una domanda molto impegnativa , che sia uguale per tutti, è facile dire che
non lo è. La ricerca di amnesty international non è a 360 gradi sul sistema giudiziario. Quello che
posso dire è che nei casi di violazione dei diritti umani , oltre all inpunitè, cè un elemento molto
importante di cui tener conto. Cioè la prescrizione che è breve nel nostro paese , e nei casi in cui la
morte di una persona nelle mani di forze di polizia si sospetta che sia stata causata da tortura, rende
impossibile la punizione dei responsabili . Questa è una cosa che ha fatto la differenza in tanti casi .
Esempio le torture avvenute nel 2001, nella caserma di Bolzanito , a Genova , secondo la sentenza
giudiziaria , oltre 200 persone sono state torturate, però nel codice penale non ce la parola tortura,
quindi questo significa che la prescrizione ah fatto sia che queste persone non vengono punite. Dal
punto di vista della violazione dei diritti umani che si occupa amnesty international , no non è
uguale per tutti . È proprio per la mancanza del reato di tortura nel codice penale, è successo che a
genova, per i fatti occorsi nel g8 , nel 2001, sono stati punite con pene maggiori persone che hanno
falsicato documenti piuttost persone che hanno commesso torture su quelle persone
Intervistatore: incredibile! Quindi un altra domanda, pensi che il sistema giudiziario sia
politicizzato pensi che ci sia una autonomia o è tutto collegato?
Intervistato: io come cittadino italiano, non posso dire che il sistema italiano sia corroto, nei casi
di violazione dei diritti umani in cui si è occupata amnesty international , che sono due filoni,
torture e maltrattamenti durante il police custody, e uso eccessivo della forza durante
manifestazioni in questi casi quello che è immeros è la mancanza da parte delle istituzioni italiane
nel cercae verità e giustizia . Questo chiama in causa principalmente le forze di polizia che hanno
41
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296

un potere molto grande in italia chiamo in casa le istitutzioni politiche che pensano che la poliza
vada diffesa a tutti I costi e solo in piccola parte chiamo in causa la magistratura , perchè si basa
sulle leggi disponibili , si basa sul livello di collaborazione di chi è chiamato a rispondere e spesso
sfugge alla sua responsibility , evitanto di collaborare e ricostruire I fatti accaduti. Quindi se
pensiano ai fatti di violazione dei diritti umani avvenuti dal 2001 a oggi , possiamo dire che ce un
problema di mancata giustizia in italia , e dunque il sistema giudiziario è venuto meno ail dovere
che ha , che è quello di to deliver justice in maniera parziale e tempestiva.
Intervistatore: quindi la tortura è legale in italia? Non ce nessuna legge che afferma il contrario
Intervistato: possiamo dire che la tortura non è vietata , proibita , dunque non è illegale. Non ce
una legge che autorizza a torturare , non ce una legge che la giustifica , semplicemente nel codice
penale questa parola non ce . È quindi questo vuol dire che , il segnale, l assenza di una legge può
essere interpretato come il segnale che il problema non è cosi importante. Questo è il messaggio
poltico che arriva. Il messaggio giudiziario è che non essendoci una legge che punisce quel reato ,
le pene che vengono emesse sono inferiori alla gravità del reato , perchè quello che fanno I giudici
è cercare nel codice penale qualche tipo di che piu o meno possa corrispondere al reato di tortura.
Pero il reato propro , autonomo, non esiste. Quindi qua le forze di polizia che compiono questo atto
non possono essere punite.
Intervistatore: quindi pensi che le punizioni inflitte sono di tipo retributivo o deterrente?
Intervistato: quello che dice la nostra costituzione è molto chiaro , la pena dovrebbe avere un
effetto riabilitativo, in realta nelle carceri italiane spesso la riabilitazione manca, è un intervento di
tipo reppressivo che si puo avere una funzione deterrente , però la deterrenza sta nella riabilitazione
non nella punizione.
Intervistatore: Sai che nel 2013 l' Italia è stata multata di 100.000 euro dall Corte Europea a
Strasburgo per le condizioni di vita inumane dei detenuti, cosa ne pensi di questo fatto? Pensi che
dal 2013 ad oggi qualcosa sia migliorato nelle carceri ?
Intervistato: rispetto a quella sentenza della corte europea, no non è migliorata, riguardava il
sovraffolamento , aveva come criterio lo spazio minimo a disposizione, è ha dato ragione a uno
poi anche ad altri, che aveva denunciato il fatto che lo spazio a disposizione nella sua cella era
inferiore a quello stabilito a livello europeo . La corte ha dato un anno per mettersi in linea, e non
mi risulta che l abbia fatto. Il sovraffolamento è ancora un problema e se ogni detenuto si
rivolgerebbe alla corte europea, l italia sarebbe costretta a pagare una somma enorme.
Intervistatore: comunque sono i diritti dei detenuti di vivere in condizioni decenti.
Intervistato: si! Questo è un diritto garantito ai detenuti , il fatto che una persona abbia commesso
un reato e deve trascorrere un tot di tempo privato della liberta personale, non fa venir di meno i
diritti che gli sono riconosciuti come essere umano , quindi il diritto alla dignità , che in carcere
42
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331

vuol dire avere delle condizioni adeguate dal punto di vista fisico , dal punto di vista dele curanze
mediche, e da punto di vista dello spazio a disposizione . Quindi questi diritti quando vengono
violati si fa ricorso agli organi di giustizia italiani o in quel caso europei.
Intervistatore: quindi cosa pensi che ci sia dietro i problemi dei detenuti e degli Human Rights?
Intervistato: credo che il piu importante sia il sovraffolamento , quella è la causa di una seria di
altri problemi che ne derivano , e sono problemi che riguardano anche le condizioni di lavoro del
personale delle carceri, condivide con i detenuti una certo stress, perche non fa piacere nessuno
lavorare in un ambiente nel quale hai delle persone , in alcuni casi anche violente e che comunque
vivono in condizioni indegne, quindi è importante sottolinearlo. In generale in italia i problemi
legati ai diritti umani, uno è il mancato adeguamento agli standard internazionali , primo da tutti la
mancanza di reati di tortura. In secondo luogo ce un problema enorme di violenza contro le donne.
Intervistatore: bene, ti faccio un ultima domanda , un altro problema in italia sono i suicidi che
avvengono all interno delle carceri, ho letto che in italia ci sono stati negli ultimi 14 anni 2363
persone sono morte nelle carceri italiane e 863 hanno commesso suicidio, pensi erano reali o alcuni
sono stati simulati? Perchè la gente commette suicidi in carcere? Quando il carcere dovrebbe
essere il posto piu sicuro al mondo, dove il cittadino è protetto dallo stato.
Intervistato: forse è il luogo in cui si sente piu minacciato dallo stato, perchè è un rapporto di
forza tra chi ha tutto il potere di privare della libertà una persona , una persona che chiusa e
confinata in una cella, poi ce da considerare l atteggiamento brutale delle guardie che provocano
una reppressione maggiore . Molti detenuti mi risulta che si sono suicidati, non persone che
avevano certezza della pena ma persone che erano in attesa di giudizio, alcuni erano stranieri ,
persone con un problemi psicologici maggiori perche lontani dalle famiglie. E altri avevo problemi
di droga e magari non hanno resistito alla assenza. Io non posso dire che tra questi centinaia di
suicidi una percentuali siano finti suicidi , ci sono tanti motivi per suicidarsi , sarebbe importante
avere una maggior cura per i detenuti! Questo si!
Intervistatore: bene io ti ringrazio davvero tanto per l intervista! Buona giornata
Interview Guide N 4 Valentina Calderone
43
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357

Valentina Calderne works for an organisation called '' a Buon Diritto'' , which look after the rights
of citizens.
Intevistatore: Buongiorno! Salve Valentina!Come Stai?
Intervistato: io tutto bene grazie, e tu?
Intervistatore: anche io , grazie mille. Prima di tutto volevo introdurre me stessa, sono una
studentessa all ultimo anno di criminologia a Londra e ho deciso di fare la tesi su dei problemi che
ci sono in Italia per quanto riguarda le prigioni italiane e sopratutto sugli abusi di potere. Quindi sto
cercando di intervistare alcune persone che hanno conscenze su questo livello. Prima di tutto
volevo ringraziarti di averti dato l oppportunità di intervistarla e volevo sapere se voi essere
identificata nella mia tesi di laurea?
Intervistata: Certo! Figuarati!
Intervistatore: potresti raccontarmi un po' di te stessa ?
Intervistato: si , bene, io lavoro per ''a buon diritto'' da una decina di anni, e da un paio sono
diventata direttrice . La nostra associazione si occupa principalmente di libertà civili, la privazione
della libertà , quindi i diritti delle persone , immigrazione e particolarmente i rifguggiati di asilo e
libertà teurapetica. Dopo di che abbiamo anche pubblicato nell Ottobre del 2014 un rapporto sull'
italia che si chiama '' Articolo 3'' . in questo rapporto pasrliamo di 17 temi che sono 17 diritti che a
nostro avviso nel nostro paese non vengono garantiti. Il lavoro che ti interessa sulla privatizzazione
della libertò nasce perchè Luigi Manconi, il presidente dell'Associazione , quando nel 2006 era
segretario alla giustizia , ha cominciato ad oocuparsi della morte di Federico Aldrovandi, il ragazzo
di Ferrara. Poi dal momento in cui è morto Stefano Cucchi, nel 2009, la famiglia dopo un paio di
giorni ha contattato la nostra associazione, perchè avevano preso lo stesso avvocato di Federico
Aldrovandi , quindi da li è iniziato un lavoro piu preciso su queste questioni. Noi non ci occupiamo
solo delle morti in carcere ma ci occupiamo in realtà anche dei fermi avvenuti per strada, in
custodia cautelare . Quindi il nostro lavoro a parte di documentazione e scrittura, sui giornali e i
libri che facciamo. Noi facciamo una sorta di accompagnamento istituzionale per le famiglie ,
cerchiamo di seguire tutti i processi , siamo a contatto con avvocati e inoltre organizziamo incontri
con parlamentari, capi di polizia etc.. e adesso che Luigi è direttore dei diritti umani del senato , il
lavoro si è intensificato, è anche uno strumento usato per incontrare i parlamentari. I suicidi e le
morti violente, ci sono altri situazioni di abbandono o non curanza dei detenuti
Intervistatore: quindi cosa pensi che ci sia dietro tutti questi omicidi e suicidi? Perchè la
magistratura non riesce a trovare nessuno colpevole,
Intervistato: purtroppo è una cosa è sempre successa, infatti nel nostro libro , partiamo dalla storia
di Pinelle, anarchico morto cadendo dal balcone della questura di Milano. La nostra storia
44
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389

repubblicatana è costellata da queste vicende . È non facile trovare un unica causa, da una parte c'è
sicuramente, la polizia ( quando parlo di polizia, parlo di tutte le forze dell ordine) quindi cè sia lo
spirito di corpo che spesso quando gli implicati sono carabinieri per esempio loro vengono
investigati dagli stessi carabinieri e colleghi, quindi se metti un appartenze al corpo indagare su un
altra appartenenza al corpo , la cosa può prendere una piega non onesta , inoltre i carabinieri
svolgono dei lavorri giudiziari con gli stessi Pm , quindi ti ritrovi ad indagare su poliziotti o
carabinieri , di cui fino al giorno prima ci hai lavorato, quindi questo è un elemento che può creare
problemi nel momento in cui un magistrato deve investigare sui carabinieri, e poi spesso cre una
disparita, queste famiglie oltre ad affrontare il lutto di un proprio caro devono anche affrontare
delle spese ingenti per il processo che sono molto costoso, non solo il pagamento dell avvocato ,
ma anch i costi sulle perizie, e psicologicamente affrontare dei processi del genere dove la
sensazione è quella che il processo venga fatto alla vittima e alla famiglia , quindi è molto faticoso
imporsi in aula e cercare di scoprire la verità. A volte ci riesce , a volte è difficile, ora con l uscita
degli smartphone , nuova teconlogia è piu facile avere delle evidenze, filmati , e video che
mostrano gli accaduti, insomma un qualcosa in piu. La costruzione della prova è molto
emblematico, esempio la storia di Federico Aldrovandi , in cui i responsabili condannati in
defenitiva sono 4 poliziotti ed p stato aperto un processo chiamato '' Aldrovandi Bis'' che appunto
ha indagato e condannato altri poliziotti della questura di Ferrara per aver come dire '' ripulito'' le
prove nell' imediatezza . È molto complicato nel nostro paese, e ottenere delle risposte.
Qui in Italia c'è lo spirito di corpo che ci fa si che ci si chiuda a riccio nella protezione dei
responsabili . In inghilterra, la tendenza è quella che gli stessi polizzioti sono i primi a voler
denunciare per cercare di distinguersi dai polizzioti che commettono abusi, quindi non sono degni
di fare questo lavoro.
Intervistatore: Si credo che il sistema di giustizia inglese è completamente diverso
Intervistato: si , il sistema corporativo
Intervistatore: cavolo , mi hai dato delle risposte importanti per questa tesi, ma cambiando un po
il discorso ti faccio un altra domanda, Sai che nel 2013 l' Italia è stata multata di 100.000 euro dall
Corte Europea a Strasburgo per le condizioni di vita inumane dei detenuti, cosa ne pensi di questo
fatto? Pensi che dal 2013 ad oggi qualcosa sia migliorato nelle carceri ?
Intervistato: allora la sentenza Torreggiani è la senteza pilota , alla corte europea sono arrivati dei
ricorsi per quanto riguarda il sovrafollamento, quindi questo ''signor Torreggiani'' ha scritto di
essere stato per piu mesi costretto a vivere in cercere avendo meno di tre metri quadrati a
disposizione in cella e contando i mobili etc. credo ce lo spazio era al di sotto dei tre metri, e la
corte ha deciso di unire questo ricorso a quello di altri sei detenuti e ha deciso di immetere la
sentenza pilota, che si mette tramite un articolo che lo prevede, per cui si rende conto che la cosa
45
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424

Laurea. 2015

Recomendados

Recomendados

Más contenido relacionado

Destacado

Destacado (7)

Similar a Laurea. 2015

Similar a Laurea. 2015 (20)

Laurea. 2015