United Nations human rights experts have expressed deep concern over the recent Security Decree enacted by the Italian government. On April 4th, the government abruptly approved a security bill that was under discussion and faced criticism in the Senate. The experts, including Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association, argue that this decree contains provisions that do not align with international human rights law.

Originally the decree was introduced by the Ministries of Interior, Justice, and Defense as a bill that tried to amend several legislative provisions included in the Criminal Code. As a consequence, in December 2024 UN experts had contacted the Italian government to warn that if the proposed bill was not amended, Italy would most likely be contradicting its international human rights obligations. These obligations encompass protecting the rights to freedom of movement, privacy, fair trial, and liberty, as well as safeguarding against arbitrary detention.

The UN experts are particularly concerned by the government’s decision to transform the bill into an emergency decree, bypassing parliamentary and public scrutiny. They warn that the decree includes “vague definitions and broad provisions related to terrorism that could lead to arbitrary enforcement”. Additionally, the experts are alarmed by the fact  that the decree may excessively affect specific groups, like racial or ethnic minorities, migrants, and refugees, and it could  potentially cause discrimination and human rights violations. Therefore, they urge the Italian government to respect the right to peaceful assembly as people protest against the security measures, they also remark that the Government has to refrain from using force and illegally dispersing people.

The experts that issued the press release are: Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association; Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Gehad Madi, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants.