Italy investigates doctors for alleged false certificates to block migrant detention

The Ravenna Prosecutor's Office is investigating a suspected criminal association involving over twenty doctors accused of issuing false medical certificates to prevent irregular migrants from being held in Repatriation Centers (CPR). The investigation, which has expanded across multiple Italian provinces including Rome, Milan, and Florence, involves allegations of ideological falsification of documents to block deportations.

Prosecutors suggest a coordinated network used standardized forms to declare migrants unfit for detention. Some defense arguments, including those from infectious disease specialist Nicola Cocco, contend that the certificates are based on scientific concerns regarding the health risks of CPR facilities, citing international literature and WHO standards.

Civil rights group Antigone has criticized the investigation, arguing that the scrutiny of doctors could compromise medical independence and ignore the harsh conditions within the centers. Meanwhile, political figures like PD secretary Emiliano Fossi have expressed solidarity with the medics, stating that certifying health conditions is a professional duty rather than a crime.