Rome, November 21 (IANS). Italy placed 11 prison guards under house arrest on Wednesday on suspicion of torture and abuse of authority against prisoners, following an investigation into more than 40 prison guards.
According to the report of Xinhua news agency, prisoners were continuously complaining about ill-treatment and violence inside the prison. After this, prosecutors in Trapani in the Sicily region took this action after an investigation that lasted for three years.
A total of 46 jail officials were being investigated in the case. Investigators obtained video footage, which corroborated the prisoners’ complaints. In the video, guards were seen beating and abusing prisoners in some isolated cells.
Trapani’s chief prosecutor Gabriele Paci told a press conference that the violence against prisoners was not an accidental incident. Rather, it became a way to ensure order inside the prison.
In early August, the Italian Parliament passed a law to improve the living conditions of prisoners. Under this law, prisoners were allowed to make more phone calls. Also the rules for obtaining early release or alternative measures in prison were streamlined.
Italy held 61,480 prisoners in prisons with a capacity of 51,234 at the end of June, the Justice Ministry said. No plans to build new facilities have been announced yet.
–IANS
SCH/AKJ
