Background
We have received notification today from an inmate at Macomer prison that three Tunisian inmates from Guantanamo Bay will be transferred there. This is a particularly cruel case of irony in that Macomer has been dubbed “Italy’s Guantanamo” by inmates and independent human rights organisations who have been campaigning for change at the prison.
Just yesterday, we highlighted a new series of abuses at Macomer prison, of which there has been a steady stream of allegations against the Italian government for their treatment of inmates. There have been beatings, abuse of their religious items, denial of medical treatment, sexual humiliation and many other aspects bearing striking similarities to some of the worst excesses by the European powers in the so-called “War on Terror”. Like Guantanamo, the inmates are held on an Island off the mainland, far away from their family and friends. To date 16 accounts of torture and ill-treatment have been reported to us, and to which we intend to file a UN submission to the Special Rapporteur on Torture on the detainees’ behalf.
It is therefore all the more disappointing that Barack Obama and the US Administration seem to view Italy as a safe haven for Muslim detainees, when there have been nothing but abuses against Muslim inmates at the prison in Macomer. It is also upsetting that Obama would choose to use the phrase "It will give us an opportunity to create a lasting and durable international legal framework for dealing with terrorism that I think is very important on both sides of the Atlantic”. In the context of Italy, they are a country who have denied adequate legal safeguards to inmates, have breached numerous articles of the European human rights act and the United Nations, and have been found on two occasions to use false translations in the court cases against the inmates by their own judges. Italy also deports inmates to regimes of torture regardless of their innocence or guilt, and regardless of international law. This has occurred in many cases already and Italy has shown no signs of repentance in this matter.
Most of all, it is disturbing that these detainees, who have suffered 8 years in the American gulag of Guantanamo bay without charge or trial, will now suffer the same fate in Italy before potentially being deported to their deaths in Tunisia.
It is imperative that we prevent this transfer and instead demand that these detainees are released to their freedom instead of another illegal prison regime, and to also demand that Italy treat those inmates in Macomer who already have the misfortune to be there fairly and according to the law.
Actions required
Write to the Italian administration demanding that Italy address their own human rights shortcomings before accepting detainees into a regime of torture at Macomer
Write to your MEP informing them of the above
Write to the US Administration demanding that these detainees be resettled in freedom and not with tyrannical governments
Key Contacts
President Barack Obama
The White House,
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Washington DC 20500, USA
Email: president@whitehouse.gov
Roberto Maroni
Minister of the Interior
Piazza del Viminale No 1
00184 Rome
ITALY
Email : liberta.civiliimmigrazione@interno.it
Angelino Alfano
Minister of Justice
Palazzo Piacentini
Via Arenula, 70
00186 Roma, ITALY
Fax:+39-06-68897951
E-mail: segreteria.ministro@giustizia.it
Sample Letter
Dear ,
I am writing to you concerning Italy’s plans to receive three inmates from Guantanamo Bay to another Guantanamo in Europe, Macomer Prison.
There has been a steady stream of allegations against the Italian government for their treatment of inmates at the prison. There have been beatings, abuse of their religious items, denial of medical treatment, sexual humiliation and many other aspects bearing striking similarities to some of the worst excesses by the European powers in the so-called “War on Terror”. Like Guantanamo, the inmates are held on an Island off the mainland, far away from their family and friends. To date 16 accounts of torture and ill-treatment have been reported.
It is disappointing that Barack Obama and the US Administration seem to view Italy as a safe haven for Muslim detainees, when there have been nothing but abuses against Muslim inmates at the prison in Macomer. It is also upsetting that Obama would choose to use the phrase "It will give us an opportunity to create a lasting and durable international legal framework for dealing with terrorism that I think is very important on both sides of the Atlantic”. In the context of Italy, they are a country who has denied adequate legal safeguards to inmates, have breached numerous articles of the European human rights act and the United Nations, and have been found on two occasions to use false translations in the court cases against the inmates by their own judges. Italy also deports inmates to regimes of torture regardless of their innocence or guilt, and regardless of international law. This has occurred in many cases already and Italy has shown no signs of repentance in this matter.
Most of all, it is disturbing that these detainees, who have suffered 8 years in the American gulag of Guantanamo bay without charge or trial, will now suffer the same fate in Italy before potentially being deported to their deaths in Tunisia.
Until Italy can follow its obligations under United Nations and European Law, it is imperative that this transfer of these three Tunisians is halted. These detainees should released to their freedom instead of another illegal prison regime.
I would also demand that Italy treat those inmates in Macomer who already have the misfortune to be there fairly and according to the law, and to stop the religious, physical and mental abuse that is being given to Muslim inmates there.
I look forward to hearing your comments on the issue and what steps you are taking to ensure that Italy fulfils its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights.
Regards,
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