Latest report on Italy, updated in April 2024, by Ecri, the anti-racism and intolerance body of the Council of Europe.
In Italy the police forces carry out racial profiling during control activitiessurveillance and investigation, especially towards the Roma community and people of African origin, ECRI denounces in the report.
Strasbourg highlights that “The authorities do not appear to be aware of the extent of the problem and did not consider the existence of racial profiling as a form of potential institutional racism”, therefore asking Italy for a complete and independent study.
“During its visit to Italy, ECRI received many testimonies of racial profiling by law enforcement, especially on the Roma community and people of African origin,” the document reads. The study requested from the Italian authorities must set itself “the objective of identifying and addressing any practice of racial profiling by law enforcement agencies”. Strasbourg will then evaluate in two years whether the recommendation has been followed.
“Ecri notes with serious concern that Italian public discourse has become increasingly xenophobic in recent years and that political discourses have taken on highly divisive and antagonistic tones, in particular towards refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, as well as Italian citizens with a migratory background, Roma and LGBTI people”, the report continues.
“Unfortunately – explains the document -, a certain number of declarations and comments considered derogatory and hateful come from high-profile politicians and public officialsespecially during electoral periods”. A situation in which ECRI recommends “that public figures, including high-level officials and politicians of all sides, are strongly encouraged to take a timely, firm and public position against expression of racist and LGBTI-phobic hate speech and to respond with alternative speech, as well as to promote understanding between communities, including by expressing solidarity with those who are the targets of hate speech.”
Ecri also believes that “Parties should adopt appropriate codes of conduct that prohibit the use of hate speechinvite their members and followers to refrain from uttering, supporting or disseminating them and provide sanctions if they do not”.
Reply Giorgia Meloni: “Does the Ecri, body of the Council of Europe, accuse the Italian police forces of racism? Our police forces – wrote the prime minister on social media – are made up of men and women who, every day, work with dedication and self-sacrifice to guarantee the safety of all citizens, without distinction. They deserve respect, not such insults.”
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The Council of Europe: ‘It is regrettable that foreign children are denied citizenship’
The European Commission against racism and intolerance “regrets” that the authorities did not introduce legislative changes that would have facilitated the acquisition of Italian citizenship for foreign minors born or raised in Italy, as was predicted when it last assessed Italy in 2016.
In the document, Ecri highlights that “there remain controversies linked to the situation of children of foreign parents born or raised in Italy”, indicating that “Italian legislation does not provide easier access to citizenship for immigrants who entered the country during childhood and were educated in Italy, while children born in Italy can apply for citizenship only after turning 18, provided they demonstrate uninterrupted residence since their birth”. However, Ecri adds, the application must be presented within one year of adulthood, and according to information collected by the Council of Europe body, many people who have the right to present it are not aware of this possibility. Ecri therefore “encourages the authorities to review the legal framework and administrative practices relating to the acquisition of Italian citizenship as well as ratifying the European Convention on Citizenship”.
