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Italian prisons face record overcrowding and humanitarian crisis
The Antigone mid‑year 2026 report shows 64,741 detainees in Italy’s prisons against 46,343 usable places, a real occupancy rate of 139.7 %. Five regions exceed 150 % occupancy – Puglia (180.4 %), Molise (165.9 %), Basilicata (162.5 %), Lombardia (157.9 %) and Friuli‑Venezia Giulia (152 %). Six facilities are more than double their capacity: Lucca (256.8 %), Milan San Vittore (223.6 %), Latina (220.8 %), Foggia (219.9 %), Lodi (209.3 %) and Brescia Canton Monbello (202.7 %). In 44 % of prisons the cell area is under the minimum 3 m² per inmate. The magistrate recorded 6,539 complaints of inhuman or degrading treatment in 2025, a 12 % rise on 2024. Summer heat above 40 °C and lack of ventilation worsen conditions, with more than 60 % of inmates in closed‑custody regimes. Specific sites illustrate the crisis: Siracusa’s Cavadonna prison holds over 720 people in a 600‑place facility; Santa Maria Capua Vetere houses about 1,060 detainees in an 840‑place prison, prompting a delivery of 234 fans; Benevento saw two prison officers injured in violent outbreaks; Prato recorded a homicide. A new community health centre is being built inside Rome’s Rebibbia prison.
Entities
Antigone · Antigone (association) · Cavadonna prison (Siracusa) · European Court of Human Rights · Francesco Rocca · Giovanni Villari · Italy · Lucca prison · Milan San Vittore prison · Patrizio Gonnella
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Siracusa’s Cavadonna prison held more than 720 inmates in a facility designed for 600 places. www.vrsicilia.it
- [● 5 SOURCES] 44 % of visited prisons have cells smaller than 3 m² per inmate. www.adnkronos.com · www.inliberta.it · www.affaritaliani.it · www.nev.it · www.radioroma.it
- [● 3 SOURCES] Six prisons have occupancy over 200%: Lucca (256.8%), Milan San Vittore (223.6%), Latina (220.8%), Foggia (219.9%), Lodi (209.3%) and Brescia Canton Monbello (202.7%). www.adnkronos.com · www.inliberta.it · www.affaritaliani.it
- [● 7 SOURCES] 6,539 complaints of inhuman or degrading treatment were recorded in 2025, a 12 % increase over 2024. www.adnkronos.com · www.inliberta.it · www.nev.it · www.vglobale.it · internapoli.it · +2 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] Italy had 46,343 usable prison places, giving an occupancy rate of 139.7 %. www.adnkronos.com · www.inliberta.it · www.affaritaliani.it · www.nev.it · www.radioroma.it
- [● 5 SOURCES] Italy had 64,741 detainees on 28 July 2026. www.adnkronos.com · www.inliberta.it · www.affaritaliani.it · www.nev.it · www.radioroma.it
- [● 3 SOURCES] At least 38 suicides occurred in Italian prisons during the first seven months of 2026. www.affaritaliani.it · www.vrsicilia.it · www.ilfattoquotidiano.it
- [● 3 SOURCES] Overcrowding exceeds 150% in Puglia (180.4%), Molise (165.9%), Basilicata (162.5%), Lombardy (157.9%) and Friuli‑Venezia Giulia (152%). www.adnkronos.com · www.inliberta.it · www.affaritaliani.it
- [● 6 SOURCES] 44 % of Italian prisons have cells smaller than 3 m² per inmate. www.adnkronos.com · www.nev.it · www.inliberta.it · www.vglobale.it · internapoli.it · +1 more
- [● 7 SOURCES] Six prisons hold more than double their capacity: Lucca 256.8 %, Milan San Vittore 223.6 %, Latina 220.8 %, Foggia 219.9 %, Lodi 209.3 % and Brescia Canton Monbello 202.7 %. www.adnkronos.com · www.nev.it · www.inliberta.it · www.vglobale.it · internapoli.it · +2 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] 64,741 detainees were recorded in Italy’s prisons on 28 July 2026. www.adnkronos.com · www.nev.it · www.inliberta.it · www.vglobale.it · internapoli.it · +1 more
- [● 7 SOURCES] Five regions have prison occupancy over 150 %: Puglia 180.4 %, Molise 165.9 %, Basilicata 162.5 %, Lombardia 157.9 % and Friuli‑Venezia Giulia 152 %. www.adnkronos.com · www.nev.it · www.inliberta.it · www.vglobale.it · internapoli.it · +2 more