(The immigration detention centre of Corso Brunelleschi in Turin is run by the Italian Red Cross. This report was written by comrades who managed to get in contact with the prisoners through a mobile phone).
In the night between May 23 and May 24 2008 Hassan, a 38 year old immigrant from North Africa, died in the immigration detention centre. He had pneumonia. According to a number of witnesses, the Red Cross administer psychotropic drugs in the CPT to 'cure' certain kinds of illness such as headache. Hassan had been given psychotropic drugs too and when that night he started having breathing problems, his companions called the doctor on duty in the centre. The latter answered that he was too busy and that his colleague would see Hassan the day after. Too late: Hassan died.
That night the immigrants detained in the centre start a hunger strike. They are tired of being treated like objects. They are human beings and protest for their dignity.
During the same night another immigrant tries to escape from the CPT but he is captured by the police and severely beaten. He has a broken chin, broken wrists, bruises all over his back and he can't walk. As he is taken to hospital, the guards declare that he injured himself by falling down during his escape attempt. Then he is taken back to the CPT.
In the night between May 25 and May 26 the detainees on hunger strike start a protest and hurl mattresses, blankets and other objects out of the rooms. They spend the whole night shouting their anger. Exasperated by his condition, someone tries to hang himself but his companions intervene to stop him. As the hunger strike is still going on, journalists and politicians turn their attention to the CPT. Two leftwing MPs visit the centre and talk about 'strong tension' and 'strong exasperation' among the immigrants, who are hypocritically and grotesquely called 'guests' of the centre. Meantime the police and the Red Cross decide not to consign parcels sent by relatives and friends of the immigrants until the hunger strike stops.
When MPs and journalists leave the scene, the guards take the immigrants two by two and question them. The immigrants are terrorised. They fear of being beaten and deported to Libya, where they are imprisoned and abused for a period of time. Witnesses have declared that a few Tunisians deported to Libya were shot by the local police as soon as they got off the plane: they paid the 'security' of Italian citizens with their life.
While being questioned, an immigrant threatens to cut his belly but his companions stop him. Another collapses and the doctors refuse to get in and help him. They only intervene when the man is taken to the gate and outside the centre.
On May 27 the detainees continue to refuse the food and ask for freedom and respect of human life.
(Protests and demos are being organized outside the detention centre and at the site of the Red Cross in Turin. Below is the text of a leaflet distributed in Turin on May 27).
In the night between May 23 and May 24 Hassan Nej, a 38 year old immigrant from North Africa, died. It seems he had pneumonia. What is certain is that he died in the CPT of Corso Brunelleschi. None of the Red Cross operators intervened to help him.
Murderers!
In the same night another North African immigrant attempted an escape. He was stopped by the police, beaten almost to death and taken to hospital. The police said he injured himself by falling down.
Liars and murderers!
Now the detainees in the Corso Brunelleschi concentration camp are on hunger strike against the inhuman conditions imposed by the racism of this country and the indifference of this city. They want freedom. Our hearts and our anger are with them.
Free everybody!!!
Fire to the CPTs!!!
No peace for racists!!!
Solidarity to the migrants in struggle!!!