Turin's CIE - International University College of Turin

P A R T A . I N T R O D U CTION AND
M E T H O D O L O G Y
9 | P a g e
INTRODUCTION
If there is one lesson that should be ingrained in every person living in today’s day and age with
memories of senseless brutality occurring not so long ago and indeed on-going even today, it is
that every person no matter where they are born and no matter what the circumstances of their
life is entitled to rights, freedoms and dignity- the quintessence of humanity. No matter where
we walk or live, the right to be treated as a person forms the core of human rights law and is a
fact that should not be relegated to the realms of idealism and utopia.
Detainees in immigration detention centres, known in Italy as centres for identification and
expulsion (CIEs), are amongst society’s most vulnerable. The CIE Research Project was
motivated by the fact that a number of institutions and organisations at local, national and
international level had expressed concern about the current praxis of administrative detention
of irregular migrants both in Italy and in Europe generally. The inconsistency between the
explicit and implicit aims of CIEs is of particular worry because it gives rise to a situation that is
a fertile ground for abuse, inefficiencies and shocking human rights violations.
This research project focused on experiences of detention inside Turin’s CIE that occurred
between January 2011 and June 2012. The objective was to investigate and analyse whether the
treatment of immigration detainees in Turin’s CIE met Italian, European and international
human rights standards. The project also aimed to inquire into systemic and individual
problems faced by detainees and people who work at the CIE or who have direct contact with
the centre in a professional or voluntary capacity. This report represents the final outcome of
the CIE Research Project.
The opinions in this report are based on evidence gathered via first-hand recorded interviews
with former detainees, current detainees and professionals who have had contact with Turin’s
immigration detention centre. The views expressed in this report do not necessarily represent
the opinions of either the International University College of Turin (IUC) or the institutions that
support the Human Rights and Migration Law Clinical Program; namely Associazione Studi
Giuridici sull’Immigrazione (ASGI), the University of Turin or the Eastern Piedmont University.
Structure of the Report
Part A of this report comprises the introduction and a description of the methodology followed
by the research group. Part B makes a detailed consideration of the actual conditions inside
Turin’s immigration detention centre, exploring the preliminary issue of (I) the decision to
detain and subsequent issues concerning life in detention as well as: (II) family relationships,
children and CIE; (III) prison and CIE; (IV) day-to-day issues; (V) health and medical issues; (VI)
relationships with CIE staff; and (VII) relationships between detainees.
Part C of this report evaluates the judicial and legal processes surrounding administrative
detention of migrants, in particular in Turin, in terms of the following sub-topics: (VIII)
detainees’ experiences of understanding what CIE is; (IX) an overview of the Italian legal and
procedural framework; (X) relationships with lawyers; (XI) the role of embassies and consulates
in the identification procedure; and (XII) CIE, political asylum and international humanitarian
protection. Part D documents additional miscellaneous matters about Turin’s CIE, which assist