News Flash
Council of Europe Anti-Torture Committee visits
Italy
29.06.2006 - A delegation of the Council of Europe's Committee for the
Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has
recently completed an eight day visit to Italy (16 to 23 June 2006).
The main objective of the visit was to examine the steps taken by the Italian
authorities in the field of immigration detainees, in response to the
recommendations made by the Committee after its periodic visit in
November/December 2004. In particular, the delegation carried out follow-up
visits to the former Holding Centre for foreigners at Agrigento and to the First Help
and Assistance Centre at Lampedusa. It also visited for the first time the
Holding Centre and the First Reception Centre for foreigners at Crotone and the
Holding Centre for female foreigners at Ragusa. Deportations of foreign
nationals carried out from Crotone and Lampedusa airports in 2005-2006 were also
examined.
At the end of the visit, the delegation had meetings with the Minister for
the Interior, Mr Giuliano AMATO, and Ms Marcella LUCIDI, State Secretary for the
Interior, as well as with several senior officials responsible for immigration
issues; on this occasion the delegation provided the Italian authorities with
its initial observations.
The visit was carried out by the following members of the CPT: Mr Mario
FELICE, Head of Delegation (Maltese) and Ms Renate KICKER (Austrian). They were
supported by an expert, Ms Catherine PAULET, psychiatrist (French) and Mr
Fabrice KELLENS, Head of Division of the CPT's Secretariat.
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