The Justice Commission of the Italian Senate approves the Bill for the introduction of the crime of torture in the Italian criminal code

On September 12th 2012, the "Justice" Commission of the Italian Senate has approved the Bill on the introduction of the crime of torture within the Italian criminal code. The law proposal, a unified text absorbing several related bills (nos. 256, 264, 374, 1237, 1596, 1884 and 3267), will now be examined by the Assembly of the Senators.

At the end of the Commission meeting, Pietro Mercenaro, President of the Commission for the promotion and protection of human rights of the Italian Senate and signatory of Bill no. 3267, said he was very satisfied for the unanimous approvement of the Commission of the bill introducing the crime of torture in Italy. “The refusal opposed until now to incorporate into the Italian Criminal Code the crime of torture, as provided by the UN Convention against torture of 1984, which has been signed and ratified by Italy, has hindered the prosecution and punishment of those responsible for particularly serious acts. According to Mercenaro, “This is a legislative act that Members of the Commission for Human Rights belonging to all political groups have always considered of great importance. They supported the unanimous introduction of this crime in the criminal code and are encouraging the passing into law of this proposal. It is then my hope that Bill can be approved from the Parliament in the course of the current legislature."

Beside the legislative procedure related to the Bill for the introduction of the crime of torture in the Italian legal system, the Italian Senate is also committed to adopt the Bill for the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (OPCAT).