Avellino. Serious complaint by the Campania Guarantor of people subjected to restrictive measures of personal freedom, Samuele Ciambriello, during his visit to the Avellino prison.
As many as 100 prison police officers out of a planned 188 are missing, causing grueling shifts and a security situation described by Ciambriello as a "ticking time bomb."
The shortage also affects healthcare and social workers, with serious repercussions on the care of prisoners, particularly the 148 psychiatric inmates present.
Inmates have complained of a lack of water for several hours, including at night, due to a broken water system. Use of the green area for meetings with minor children is denied due to a lack of prison police personnel, violating their right to affection and parenthood.
There is a lack of specialist and psychiatric visits, with waiting times of eight months. Despite the presence of a hundred drug addicts, there is no SerD inside the prison.
Unacceptable conditions
Inmates in the women's section have reported the precariousness of their conditions, with the absence of showers in their cells until recently and the presence of plexiglass on the windows, now removed.
The Guarantor's requests:
Immediate staffing increases: Ciambriello called for the hiring of more prison officers, inspectors, and language mediators.
Guaranteeing the right to health: It is urgent to improve health and psychiatric care, eliminating long waits for specialist appointments.
Adequate services for drug-addicted inmates: It is necessary to activate an internal SerD within the prison to provide adequate care to inmates with addiction problems.
Respect for the right to affection: Inmates must be allowed to meet their minor children in appropriate spaces, such as the prison's green area.
Improved living conditions: Ensure the provision of running water and access to showers in every cell for all inmates.
The Guarantor's commitment:
Ciambriello pledged to organize a "family celebration" in September, a lunch for inmates, their children, and their families, to promote the right to affection. He also announced that he will work to urge the relevant authorities to address the critical issues highlighted, particularly staffing shortages and inadequate healthcare.
The situation in the Avellino prison therefore appears very worrying, with serious violations of the rights of prisoners and risks to security. The requests of the Campanian Guarantor are urgent and cannot be ignored. Immediate intervention by the competent authorities is necessary to guarantee dignified and safe living conditions for all prisoners.
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