Turin's CIE - International University College of Turin

how time constraints can pose a massive obstacle for any lawyers who are attempting to
provide good representation for their clients: “We are not informed by the public administration
when we are appointed by detainees, or we realise it at the hearing where we discover that we are
nominated as their personally appointed lawyer [avvocati di fiducia]” (Interview 5).
3. VISITS
Although there is usually one room allocated for lawyer-client interviews, maintaining privacy
and respectful conditions is still a concern, especially where many lawyers come to visit their
respective clients at the same time 131 :
“Originally the room had a fully closed door and the personnel, including Polizia di Stato 132 ,
Carabinieri, Guardia di Finanza and Alpini 133 , often kept the door open for security
requirements, until the door was taken off. Today the interview takes place under
conditions of confidentiality and professional secrecy for lawyers, with visual and auditory
monitoring: there is a window in the door so as to see inside the interview room”
(Interview 4);
“Sometimes, when there are other lawyers waiting to meet there clients, interviews can
take place in another room but in this case we have to leave the door open” (Interview 8);
“The place for interviews is really very bad. It is overcrowded. There is no respect. If you go
inside a prison, and there the conditions are really not good- particularly nowadays in Italy
they are overcrowded, at least [in prison] the places where you speak with a person are
clean. There are enough chairs, enough places and you have some hours when you can
enter. This is okay, this is to maintain order. But the person is respected. [In prison] [t]he
place I need to speak with a person is respected. I am okay, we have a window. It is clean. I
can put my stuff on the desk without thinking that this is dirty” (Interview 7).
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4. COMMUNICATION
Another important problem highlighted by the interviewed lawyers concerned barriers to
communication. Whilst Italian law provides for interpreters during the actual validation and
extension hearings 134 , there is no law that guarantees any professional interpreting service for
client interviews inside Turin’s CIE. The lack of interpreters can be a significant impediment
because our research suggests that at times neither the lawyer nor the client can fully
comprehend what each other is advising or disclosing. No state-funded telephone interpreting
service is provided for these consultations either. As one lawyer explained:
“Interpreter? The language problem is an important issue, almost crucial. It is not that
different from what actually happens in prison. In the latter case the lawyer should
nominate a technical consultant, such as an interpreter. This procedure usually turns out
to be complex and tough in its application so in the end it’s not really implemented.
Obviously, at the CIE this procedure does not exist but it might be practicable to ensure
131 For further information on the conditions and waiting times for visiting detainees, see Part B. Conditions of
Detention, Chapter II. Family Relationships, Children and CIE, 6. Visits and Part C. Judicial and Legal
Processes, Chapter X. The Role of Embassies and Consulates in the Identification Procedure.
132 The Polizia di Stato is one of the five Italian police branches. It is a civil police branch under the authority of
the Department of Public Security of the Ministry of the Interior. Its main function is maintaining order and
ensuring public security.
133 The Alpini are the mountain troops of the Italian army.
134 Decreto Legislativo 286/1998, article 14.4.