In a shocking revelation, an inquiry into the conditions at the Via Corelli Migrant Repatriation Center (CPR) in Milan has exposed what authorities describe as “inhuman” and “infernal” living conditions for the detained migrants. The findings have prompted the Milan prosecutor’s office to initiate legal proceedings, seeking a trial against the center’s management and the company responsible for its operations.
The investigation, conducted by Italy’s financial police, the Guardia di Finanza (GDF), uncovered a litany of disturbing details that paint a bleak picture of the migrants’ living environment. According to the report, the center was plagued by issues such as food infested with worms, a glaring absence of cultural and linguistic mediators, rampant use of psychiatric drugs, and dilapidated beds and bathrooms.
The alarming conditions prompted immediate action from the authorities. On December 13 2023, the center was placed under the administration of an external commissioner, and a branch of Martinina SRL, the Salerno-based company that managed the facility, was seized.
The legal proceedings will likely see charges brought against Alessandro Forlenza and Consiglia Caruso, the legal and de facto administrators of the company. Additionally, Martinina SRL itself is under investigation for potential violations of laws related to the administrative responsibility of companies.
Following the seizure of the Milan branch on December 21, the facility was placed under judicial administration led by tax advisor Giovanni Falconieri, pending further legal action.
Distressing video footage obtained during the investigation has further compounded the gravity of the situation. One video depicted a person lying on the ground in the center’s courtyard, propped up against a foam mattress and groaning in apparent suffering, yet ignored by those around them.
The alleged mismanagement and neglect extended beyond the living conditions. According to the charges, the company responsible for managing the center benefited from “a considerable illicit economic advantage” by failing to provide the services outlined in the official contract documents, which were allegedly obtained through fraudulent means. The contract in question was worth over 4 million euros.
Accounts of individual migrants’ experiences further underscore the dire circumstances. One migrant, despite suffering from a broken foot, was reportedly denied medical examination because the center’s manager refused to pay for it. Another detainee, afflicted with severe dental pain, was also unable to receive treatment for the same reason, allegedly due to a lack of funds.
The investigation also revealed the absence of essential medications, with some detainees suffering from serious illnesses, including brain tumors, without access to proper care. Furthermore, the lack of linguistic mediators severely hindered communication, leaving migrants to rely on gestures and expressions to convey their needs.
In addition to the appalling living conditions and alleged mismanagement, the investigation uncovered other concerning practices. Employees at the center were reportedly denied severance pay and portions of their wages, while allegations of collusive tendering practices between 2019 and 2022 have also surfaced.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the Milan migrant center scandal has ignited a broader discussion about the treatment of migrants in Italy’s repatriation facilities and the need for rigorous oversight and accountability measures. The revelations serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need to uphold human rights and ensure dignified living conditions for all individuals, regardless of their immigration status.