Italian Prison Rights Guardian Calls for Unity in Penal System

Giovanna Francesca Russo, the regional guarantor for detainees in Calabria, issued an open letter on the feast of Saint Basilides, patron of the prison police. She thanked prison staff – guards, directors, educators, health workers and magistrates – for their work in a system marked by overcrowding, tension and frequent emergencies.

Russo stressed the need for dialogue, prevention and training to protect the “silent majority” of honest staff from isolated misconduct. She highlighted the anti‑mafia role of prisons as a shield for both staff and inmates seeking genuine rehabilitation, and urged that independence of the guarantor must be used to point out shortcomings. The letter calls for collective responsibility and solidarity as the basis for safeguarding the rights of people deprived of liberty.