In April 2024, Amnesty International released its annual report on the State of the World’s Human Rights. In the report we can find coverage of human rights concerns in over 150 countries in 2023, which vary from the rights of women and girls to the treatment of civilians during armed conflicts. The report addresses global and regional concerns about human rights violations and also focuses on the situation in specific countries.

The main problems raised with respect to the Italy in its chapter are: torture and ill-treatment, violence against women with a special part regarding sexual and reproductive rights, discrimination, refugees’ and migrants’ rights, freedom of expression and assembly and rights to healthy enviroment. 

The chapter on Italy starts with cases of torture and ill-treatment by police officers or prison officers. In Verona, 5 police officers were placed under house arrest, while the investigation on racially motivated acts of torture. More than 20 prison guards were suspended, pending investigation into alleged torture at Biella prison. Those cases are often connected to discrimination, which is also one of the concerns of Amnesty International. This year the CERD Committee expressed its consternation about racist hate speech present in political and social discourse and in the service of law enforcement in Italy. It was also noted by Amnesty International that the laws in Italy addressing hate speech and hate crimes do not extend equal protection to LGBTI individuals, women, and persons with disabilities, unlike the safeguards granted to those targeted due to racist, religious, ethnic, or nationalist hatred.

The report also raises the rights of women and girls. In 2023, in Italy, there were 97 killings of women in domestic violence incidents, with 64 killed by their partners or former partners. The Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights condemned the limited availability of shelters for women affected by gender-based violence, as well as the insufficient funding allocated to support services. Additionally, Parliament did not align rape legislation with the standards set by the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. Moreover, the access to abortion is still refused to many women, due to shortage of doctors and healthcare workers willing to perform an abortion. 

The situation of refugees and migrants is difficult. In 2023, 2498 people drowned or went missing trying to reach Europe by the central Mediterranean route. Over 157000 people arrived irregularly to Italy by sea, including more than 17300 unaccompanied children. Amnesty International raises concerns that Italian authorities do not always fulfill their search-and-rescue obligations, for example at least 94 people, including 34 children, drowned near the beach of Steccato di Cutro, Calabria due to lack of cooperation with international bodies and no immediate action. The Italian government revised its list of “safe countries of origin,” adding Nigeria and confirming Tunisia, despite documented widespread human rights abuses in both nations. In the autumn, Parliament approved further measures aimed at restricting access to asylum and expanding the possibility of expelling people. Italy also unveiled new cooperation with Albania and Libya, despite international concern about the human rights situation in those countries.

The report briefly touches on the right to a healthy environment, which was breached by Italy investing in fossil fuel projects overseas. It is also mentioned that Italian police used excessive force against protesters on some occasions, which can limit freedom of expression and assembly.