Naples - A 32-year-old Algerian took his own life in the Poggioreale prison, hanging himself in the bathroom of his cell with a rudimentary rope made by braiding a sheet.
The dramatic episode occurred in a narrow room in precarious hygienic and sanitary conditions, shared with five other inmates, who showed the Campania guarantor of inmates, Samuele Ciambriello, the vehicle used by the young man, identified as Harar.
Transferred about two months ago from the prison of Benevento to that of Poggioreale, the 32-year-old had received notification of a new sentence in recent days, an event that may have influenced his decision.
The Guarantor, who collected testimonies from the penitentiary community - inmates, management, agents and educators -, denounced a situation at the limit: "From 19 pm until the morning, surveillance is reduced to the bare minimum, sometimes with only one agent covering two floors. We need to strengthen the health personnel, especially in the afternoon and at night, because in many cases it is a matter of minutes to save a life".
The numbers reeled off by Donut paint an alarming picture: since the beginning of 2025, in Italy there have been 23 suicides in prisons and 378 attempts, while in Campania there have been 2 suicides – both in Poggioreale – and 8 attempts in the Neapolitan institute alone, in addition to a case in the Rems of San Nicola Baronia. “These data highlight an emergency that has been unresolved for decades,” the Guarantor underlined.
The critical issues are many: lack of prison police officers, absence of psychological and social support figures, unworthy detention conditions, with cells in which people spend up to 20 hours a day, without spaces for socializing or treatment activities.
“Politics limits itself to proposing new buildings, but forgets to guarantee a dignified sentence,” concluded Ciambriello, launching an appeal for concrete interventions that go beyond promises.
Article published on March 28, 2025 - 13pm
This article makes you think a lot about the situation of prisons in Italy, and not only in Naples. It is important that the authorities become aware of these problems. Hygienic and safety conditions must improve urgently.