Benevento prison at 140% capacity: officials inspect the devastated cells.

Yesterday, the Prisoners' Rights Guarantors—Samuele Ciambriello for the Campania Region and Patrizia Sannino for the Province of Benevento—conducted an inspection and listening visit to the Benevento prison. Welcomed by Director Marianna Adanti, the ward commander, and a representative of the prison staff, the two guarantors inspected the section where the protests were held.

The area, currently under seizure by the Public Prosecutor's Office, contains 14 cells with a capacity of 30. It was found to be completely devastated and uninhabitable. Testimonies from inmates: On the ground floor of the facility, Ciambriello and Sannino met with a delegation of inmates from Section G1 who did not participate in the riots.

From their statements, it emerged that, in the initial stages, the riot was mistaken for a violent internal dispute. The inmates reported the presence of elderly inmates and those with psychiatric conditions. The main thrust of the inmates was reportedly the request for transfer to institutions offering real opportunities for study and work, given the almost total lack of treatment options in the affected section.

Overcrowding and Mental Health: The visit brought attention to the situation of the mental health unit, located on the fourth floor: closed and inactive for over two years despite the growing needs of the prison population. The Benevento prison currently houses 361 inmates for 259 regulated places, with an overcrowding rate of 140%.

Of these, 158 are in high-security detention, and 66 are women. Mediation and transfers: Upon leaving the facility, the guarantors met with journalists. They expressed relief at the complete absence of injuries among Penitentiary Police personnel and inmates. The emergency was resolved thanks to a mediation operation conducted by the negotiator and the Penitentiary Police Operational Intervention Group (GIO), who restored order exclusively through dialogue.

"What happened unequivocally demonstrates that even in the most critical situations and when dealing with complex individuals, listening and mediation guarantee effective results and prevent the use of violence. When dialogue is established and arguments are listened to, whether valid or not, institutional mediation prevails," stated Samuele Ciambriello. On the medical front, an ambulance was called to assist an inmate suffering from a somatic anxiety attack following emotional stress.

On the management front, 10 inmates deemed the main instigators of the riot were transferred to other facilities (first a group of 6, then another 4). Another 20 inmates not involved in the events were redistributed across the Sannita facility. The debate on the facility's future remains open. Provincial Ombudsman Patrizia Sannino has expressed support for the idea of ​​allocating the entire facility to the High Security regime, to ensure greater homogeneity and fairness in treatment processes.

Regional Ombudsman Ciambriello, however, expressed strong concerns about this reconversion. The most pressing issue now concerns the displaced inmates: due to the seizure of the area, they have been unable to recover their clothing and personal effects. In the coming hours, the Ombudsmen will initiate discussions with the management to enable the recovery of their linens and other items.