Ivrea prison inmate found dead in suspected suicide

A 42-year-old Italian inmate was found dead in his cell at the Ivrea prison on Monday, September 21, 2026. Authorities have indicated the death was a suicide. This incident marks the third suicide in Piedmont prisons within a twenty-day period, following similar deaths in Biella and Verbania.

Leo Beneduci, general secretary of the Osapp union, attributed the rising number of tragedies to a 30% reduction in prison police personnel, which he claims has compromised security, surveillance, and assistance. He described the Italian prison system as being in a state of total disorganization.

Monica Formaiano, the regional guarantor for persons subject to restrictive liberty measures, called the sequence of suicides a critical alarm. She emphasized the need for immediate intervention regarding prevention, specifically through increased investment in prison healthcare services, mental health support, and psychological assistance for vulnerable inmates.