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Human Rights Council – Universal Periodic Review

For use of information media; not an official record

Date: Tuesday 9 February (morning)

Country under review: ITALY

  1. Documents: national report (A/HRC/WG.6/7/ITA/1), compilation of UN information (A/HRC/WG.6/7/ITA/2), summary of stakeholders’ information (A/HRC/WG.6/7/ITA/3)
  2. Troika: Slovakia, Argentina, Ghana

Concerned country - national report

  1. Represented by a 25-person delegation and headed by the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Vincenzo Scotti
  2. National report presented by H.E. Mr. Vincenzo Scotti

Highlights

  1. Provides for a wide range of criminal and civil law provisions to tackle racism.
  2. Intends to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture.
  3. Does not intend to ratify the Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families since no distinction is being made between regular and irregular migrant workers.
  4. Opened judicial investigations into incidents and violence against Roma communities and migrants.
  5. Set up educational programmes to promote an intercultural approach as a mean to fight racism and xenophobia.
  6. Launched the first national awareness-raising campaign on homophobia.

Interactive discussion

Number of States taking part in the interactive discussion

  1. Member States: 24
  2. Observer States: 27

Positive achievements

  1. Campaigning at an international level for the abolition of death penalty.
  2. Creation of an advisory committee on religious freedom.
  3. Promotion of intercultural dialogue and human rights education.
  4. Fund to assist the victims of human trafficking and their families.
  5. National Office Against Racism.

Issues and questions raised

  1. Efficiency and independence of the judiciary.
  2. Xenophobic and intolerant statements and attitudes even among politicians.
  3. Racial discrimination, particularly against Sinti and Roma.
  4. Italian vessels refusing to rescue migrants and asylum seekers.
  5. Forced evictions of migrants and their consequences.
  6. Overcrowded prisons.
  7. Absence of the crime of torture in the Criminal Code.
  8. Representation of women in Parliament and decision-making positions.
  9. Media independence.

Recommendations

  1. Guarantee the independence of the judiciary.
  2. Adopt measures to strengthen media independence.
  3. Establish an independent National Human Rights Institution.
  4. Take appropriate and legal measures to combat racism and discrimination more effectively.
  5. Ensure full access to health care and educational services to migrants and minorities.
  6. Incorporate the crime of torture into domestic law.
  7. Ratify the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrants Workers and Members of their Families.
  8. Ratify the Council of Europe Conventionon Action againstTraffickinginHuman Beings.
  9. Ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture.
  10. Eliminate all forms of discrimination against disabled children.
  11. Ensure that forced evictions fully comply with international law.
  12. Decriminalise illegal entry into the country.
  13. Investigate and punish crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Response of the concerned country

  1. National Human Rights Institution – Bill to be approved in the coming months.
  2. Racism – Non-discrimination at the core of the Constitution. Judicial protection of the victims is guaranteed. Racist incidents are being investigated.
  3. Migrants and Asylum – Territorial commissions process applications submitted by asylum seekers, and almost 50% of them have so far reached a positive outcome. €8.5m devoted to the integration of migrant communities.
  4. Human beings trafficking – Will submit to the Parliament the bill ratifying the Council of Europe Convention Against Trafficking in Human Beings.
  5. Media concentration – A law regulates conflicts of interest.
  6. Independence of the judiciary – A reform of the judiciary is currently being discussed, with the view to drastically reducing the length of trials.

Adoption of the report by the UPR working group scheduled on
Thursday 11 February, 12.00-12.30

More information

  1. UPR: http://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/upr-main
  2. Country under review (documents submitted): http://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/upr-main