The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Thursday that Italy violated Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights when it renewed on 23 March 2016 the tough 41bis prison regime of mafia boss Bernardo Provenzano. The court said applying the regime violated Provenzano's right to not be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment.
However, it also ruled that the decision to keep Provenzano, who was seriously ill at the time, in jail rather than release him did not violate his rights.
The Cosa Nostra boss of bosses died later in 2016 at the age of 83 after a long illness.
The government blasted the decision.
"The Strasbourg court has 'condemned' Italy because it kept 'Mr' Provenzano, sentenced to 20 life sentences for dozens of murders, in hard jail until his death," League leader Salvini said.
"It is the umpteenth demonstration of how useless this umpteenth European circus is.
"The Italians decide for the Italian people, no one else".
Fellow Deputy Premier and Labour and Industry Minister Luigi Di Maio was critical too.
"So we violated Provenzano's right not to be subject to inhuman and degrading treatment. They don't know what they are talking about," 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Di Maio said via Instagram.
"The inhuman behaviour was Provenzano's. The 41bis is a fundamental instrument to weaken the mafia and it must not be touched.
"No mercy with the mafia".
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