Rome (NEV), November 26, 2020 – The Waldensian Diaconate joined the new appeal launched by the Antigone Association, which fights for rights and guarantees in the penal system, to obtain respect for and security of sanitary conditions in Italian prisons, in order to protect the health of prisoners and of prison staff workers.
“The overcrowding of prisons and the inadequacy of buildings and prison spaces – reads a note published on the Diaconate website -, problems for which a structured and concrete intervention has long been requested for, are today made even more relevant by the COVID-19 emergency and the potential risk of a pandemic in Italian prisons”.
The appeal launched by Antigone has also been signed by numerous association among which we recall Anpi, Arci, Cgil, Abele Group, Ristretti, National Conference of Volunteering for Justice-CNVG, Uisp Bergamo, InOltre Alternative Progressista. This new appeal integrates with some proposals for amending the decree-law of 17 March 2020, already signed by the Waldensian Diaconate in March 2020.
The tragic events of recent times have shaken the Italian penitentiary system to its foundations. Fear, loneliness, desperation, overcrowding and the risk of contagion from COVID-19 for both inmates and prison staff require urgent and effective responses, in order not to sever relations with the outside world.
There are 50,931 places available in Italian prisons, from which at least another four thousand currently unusable must be subtracted. The inmates present are about 59,000. Some institutions have an overcrowding rate of 190%. Every day the inmates hear on television that they must keep social distance, only to find three people in 12 square meters cells. Sanitary conditions are often precarious. In almost half of the structures there are cells without hot water, in more than half there are cells without shower. With these numbers, if the virus were to enter prison, it would be a catastrophe for inmates and operators. For both of them, immediate action is needed.
, November 26, 2020 - The Waldensian Diaconate joined the new appeal launched by the Antigone Association){kind=link}