Some 52 prison officers arrested on
suspicion of mistreating prisoners after a riot sparked by a
case of COVID-19 among inmates in the middle of the first virus
lockdown last year have all been suspended, sources said
Wednesday.
Naples police sent in special penitentiary police forces after
the April 6 riot at the jail at Santa Maria Capua Vetere near
Caserta north of Naples.
The special forces are suspected of brutality and may also face
charges of torture in the methods used to 'punish' the rioters,
judicial sources said.
Warder unions SPP and USPP have called the arrests
"disproportionate" and "incomprehensible" while nationalist
League party leader Matteo Salvini has said he stands with the
penitentiary police.
Centre-left Democratic Party (PD( leader Enrico Letta said
reports of the violence had revealed "intolerable" conduct by
the officers.
Inmates rights group Antigone said full light must be shed on
the violence.
A preliminary investigations judge (GIP) said prisoners were
made to strip and kneel and beaten with guards wearing their
helmets so as not to be identified in what he called "a horrible
massacre".
Some 15 men were also put into solitary without any
justification, the GIP said.
Police reportedly found chats on the suspects' phones
including, before the alleged violence, "We'll kill them like
veal calves" and "tame the beasts", and afterwards "four hours
of hell for them", "no one got away", and "(we used) the
Poggioreale system", referring to a tough Naples prison.
Some of the alleged rioters had their hair cut and beards shaved
off.
Among those probed are doctors who falsely certified that some
warders had been hurt in the clashes.
Justice Minister Marta Cartabia has said she had "faith" in
Italy's penitentiary police but on Wednesday said a probe would
be opened ito the alleged brutality.
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