Campaign groups such as the “Campagna Nazionale contro la detenzione amministrativa di migranti” have highlighted the risks of the spread of Coronavirus within immigration detention centres in Italy, especially given the poor hygiene conditions and particular vulnerability of detainees. In addition, Italy’s national detainee rights guarantor, Mauro Palma, has urged the government to assess whether it is reasonable to “deprive people of their freedom for the sake of repatriation when they cannot for the moment be repatriated.” Migrants detained living in reception centres in Bologna wrote an open letter to local and regional authorities calling for improvements in living conditions to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission. The letter states that: “more than 200 of us live and sleep in dorms with 5 to 10 persons each, with beds very close, one on top of the other.” In a letter signed on 26 March 2020, Italy’s Interior Ministry ordered all prefects to “constantly monitor the health condition” of migrants held in CPRs. The goal of this monitoring is to “quickly detect possible symptoms of Covid-19.” According to the letter, all new detainees must undergo medical screening and be placed in separate accommodation for at least 14 days. Prefects were also ordered to ensure that all detainees are provided with appropriate materials for care and hygiene, are regularly informed about measures that should be taken to prevent the virus’ spread, and are provided with access to mobile phones given that visits are no longer permitted. In three separate cases, judges in Italy ordered the release of rejected asylum seekers held in CPRs. These rulings were made by two courts in Rome, and one court in Trieste, which cited the danger of detention to detainees’ health, and lack of legal basis for detention now that deportations are suspended. On 29 March, shortly before these rulings, detainees held in Gradisca CPR protested their living conditions amid the Covid-19 emergency, with fires set inside the facility. At least a dozen inmates have died and more than 40 staff have been injured following riots in prisons after the government announced restrictions due to the Coronavirus outbreak. On 27 March 2020, it was reported that 15 prisoners tested positive for Covid-19 and 260 were put in isolation. Three days later, trade unions announced the death of two prison guards from Covid-19.
- V. Di Donato and E. Reynolds, E. “All of Italy is in Lockdown as Coronavirus Cases Rise,” CNN, 13 March 2020, https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/09/europe/coronavirus-italy-lockdown-intl/index.html
- P. Stubley, “Coronavirus: Government Planning Emergency Response for Prisons After Deadly Riots Left 12 Inmates Dead in Italy,” The Independent, 15 March 2020, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-update-prison-plans-riots-disorder-visits-italy-deaths-a9402496.html
- H. Roberts, “In Italy’s Overcrowded Prisons, Fear of Coronavirus,” Politico, 30 March 2020, www.politico.eu/article/in-italys-overcrowded-prisons-fear-of-coronavirus/
- ASNA, “Coronavirus: Italian Detainee Rights Guarantor Concerned About Migrants in Repatriation Centres,” Infomigrants, 26 March 2020, https://bit.ly/2w9sTnu
- European Commission, “Overcrowded Reception Centres and Informal Settlements Make Migrants Vulnerable to Covid-19,” 17 March 2020, https://bit.ly/3dLrVyV
- ASNA, “Coronavirus: Information Platform for Migrants in Italy Launched,” InfoMigrants, 17 March 2020, www.infomigrants.net/en/post/23476/coronavirus-information-platform-for-migrants-in-italy-launched
- Lasciatecientrare, “Emergenza Coronavirus: “Bloccare Gli Ingressi Nei Cpr E Procedere Alla Progressiva Chiusura Dei Centri,” 13 March 2020, https://www.lasciatecientrare.it/emergenza-coronavirus-bloccare-gli-ingressi-nei-cpr-e-procedere-alla-progressiva-chiusura-dei-centri/
- Global Detention Project, “Immigration Detention in Italy,” https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/countries/europe/italy
