Cremona prison inmate dies after severe burns in July incident

Salaheddine Nekhli, a 39-year-old Moroccan inmate, has died at Niguarda Hospital in Milan following an incident at the Cremona Cà del Ferro prison on July 30. Nekhli had been hospitalized for 11 days after suffering third-degree burns covering approximately 80% of his body.

The official version provided by the prison police union (Sappe) suggests the inmate set himself on fire. However, Nekhli’s family and his defense attorney, Giovanni Pignataro, have expressed strong skepticism regarding this account. The victim's sister, Fatima Nekhli, stated that her brother was in good spirits and had made plans to settle in Cremona with the help of an association upon his release, which was scheduled for mid-August.

The family also noted inconsistencies in the information provided by prison authorities on the day of the incident, alleging they received three different explanations: a fire, a brawl, and a dispute with another inmate. The Cremona Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation into the circumstances of the death, led by prosecutor Giannangelo Maria Fagnani.