Italy May Release Up 10,000 People from Prison to Ease Overcrowding
Some 10,105 prisoners are "potentially eligible" for alternative measures to prison, such as house arrest or probation, the ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday.
The option would apply to people whose convictions are final and no longer subject to appeal, less than 2 years of sentences left to serve, and no serious disciplinary offences in the past 12 months.
People serving time for serious crimes such as terrorism, organized crime, rape, migrant trafficking and kidnapping would be excluded, the ministry added.
According to the World Prison Brief database, Italy has one of Europe's worst prison overcrowding records, with an occupancy level of around 122%.
Any level above 100% indicates that prisons are occupied above their maximum capacity. Only Cyprus, France and Turkey have higher scores in Europe, according to the database.
The plight of prisoners has attracted attention in Italy following a rise in suicides and complaints about soaring summer temperatures in detention facilities that are not air- conditioned.
However, the early release of prisoners is a politically sensitive move, and the Justice Ministry indicated that it would not happen overnight.
It said it had set up a taskforce to liaise with prisons and parole judges to facilitate decisions on individual cases, which will meet weekly and report on its work by September.
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MTV Lebanon
16-07-2025
- MTV Lebanon
Italy May Release Up 10,000 People from Prison to Ease Overcrowding
Italy may release up to around 10,000 people from prison, or about 15% of the total population of inmates, to ease overcrowding, the Justice Ministry has announced. Some 10,105 prisoners are "potentially eligible" for alternative measures to prison, such as house arrest or probation, the ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday. The option would apply to people whose convictions are final and no longer subject to appeal, less than 2 years of sentences left to serve, and no serious disciplinary offences in the past 12 months. People serving time for serious crimes such as terrorism, organized crime, rape, migrant trafficking and kidnapping would be excluded, the ministry added. According to the World Prison Brief database, Italy has one of Europe's worst prison overcrowding records, with an occupancy level of around 122%. Any level above 100% indicates that prisons are occupied above their maximum capacity. Only Cyprus, France and Turkey have higher scores in Europe, according to the database. The plight of prisoners has attracted attention in Italy following a rise in suicides and complaints about soaring summer temperatures in detention facilities that are not air- conditioned. However, the early release of prisoners is a politically sensitive move, and the Justice Ministry indicated that it would not happen overnight. It said it had set up a taskforce to liaise with prisons and parole judges to facilitate decisions on individual cases, which will meet weekly and report on its work by September.
L'Orient-Le Jour
05-05-2025
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Thwarted terror attack at Lady Gaga's concert in Rio
A bomb attack was thwarted during a mega concert by star Lady Gaga in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, and two people suspected of being involved have been arrested, authorities announced Sunday. About two million people swarmed the iconic Copacabana beach into the early hours to listen to the American diva, according to city officials, under the watch of an impressive security deployment. The civil police of Rio de Janeiro announced in a statement that, in collaboration with the Justice Ministry, they had 'prevented a bomb attack that was supposed to occur during Lady Gaga's show at Copacabana.' The attempted attack had been orchestrated by a group that 'spread hate speech' and promoted the radicalization of adolescents and self-harm on digital platforms, according to police. The assailants designed this plan as a 'collective challenge' to gain notoriety on social media, said the police. The project targeted children, adolescents, and the LGBTQ+ community, a group strongly represented among the hundreds of thousands of Lady Gaga fans in Rio. The 'leader of the group' and 'responsible for the plan' was arrested in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (south) while illegally carrying a firearm. A teenager is also in custody in Rio de Janeiro. As part of Operation 'Fake Monster,' police conducted 13 searches in several cities in the state of Rio de Janeiro, as well as in São Paulo (southeast), Rio Grande do Sul, and Mato Grosso (west). They had previously given the figure of 15. 'Those involved recruited participants to promote attacks using improvised explosives and Molotov cocktails,' the police further stated. 'Sick with fear' The American singer posted on X after these revelations a message that does not mention the thwarted attack: 'Your heart shines so much, your culture is so vibrant and special, I hope you know how grateful I am to have shared this historic moment with you.' Her fans, affectionately called 'little monsters,' took to social media to express their relief at the police's reaction. 'Thank god. This would have shocked more than two million people,' said the LadyGagaFansTogether account on Instagram. Another fan reacted: 'I am literally sick with fear for her (Lady Gaga) safety.' 'The police acted quietly and without creating panic ... We acted surgically to ensure the crime did not happen,' explained Felipe Curi, a Rio civil police official, as cited in a note from the institution. City authorities, who also hope for economic benefits exceeding $100 million, aim to establish this tradition of the free mega-concert in May to boost tourism during a period considered the low season. Lady Gaga kicked off the evening, perched more than six feet above the stage in a scarlet dress, singing her 2011 hit 'Bloody Mary' to a delirious crowd. The American pop diva, who hadn't performed in Brazil since a tour in 2012, followed with 'Abracadabra,' one of the main tracks from her latest album, 'Mayhem,' released in March. Mid-song, Lady Gaga removed her red dress to reveal another one in the colors of the Brazilian flag.
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27-12-2024
- Al Mayadeen
Israeli AG orders probe into accusations against Netanyahu's wife
The Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has ordered an investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wife, Sara Netanyahu, over allegations of harassment toward political opponents and a key witness in the Prime Minister's corruption trial. The probe follows a report by the investigative program Uvda, which revealed WhatsApp messages in which Sara Netanyahu instructed a former Netanyahu aide to organize protests against political adversaries and intimidate Hadas Klein, a crucial witness in the trial. The Attorney General's brief statement did not directly mention Sara Netanyahu by name, and the Justice Ministry declined to comment further. However, in a video released Thursday, Prime Minister Netanyahu defended his wife, highlighting what he called her numerous 'kind and charitable acts,' and condemned the Uvda report as 'lies'. He called the Uvda program 'false propaganda, nasty propaganda that brings up lies from the darkness.' This scandal was the most recent in a long string of legal issues for the Netanyahus, which are exemplified by the prime minister's ongoing corruption trial. The two have also had a tense relationship with the Israeli media. In a number of cases, Netanyahu is accused of exchanging favors with wealthy associates and powerful media moguls, as well as of accepting bribes. Netanyahu disputes the accusations and claims he is the target of a "witch hunt" by overzealous prosecutors, police, and the media. The report included correspondence between Sara Netanyahu and Hanni Bleiweiss, a former prime minister's aide who passed away from cancer last year. It mentioned that, through messages, Sara ordered Bleiweiss to crack down violently on anti-government protesters and organize protests outside the residences of key figures in the corruption case, including lead prosecutor Liat Ben-Ari and former Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, who had filed the indictments against the Israeli Prime Minister. Additionally, she was tasked with coordinating protests and social media campaigns targeting political adversaries. The Uvda report further noted that Bleiweiss had been a dedicated aide to Netanyahu for decades. However, during her illness, Sara Netanyahu reportedly mistreated her, which led Bleiweiss to share the intimidating WhatsApp messages with a reporter just before her passing. Read more: Protesters surround Netanyahu's wife outside a salon
