Refugees and Asylum Seekers:

Italy pursues an anti-immigration agenda through laws and policies aimed at restricting access to rights and preventing people rescued at sea from disembarking in Italy. There were numerous attempts at obstructing and criminalizing non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that rescued people at sea. Co-operation with the Libyan authorities to contain refugees and migrants in Libya also continued despite persisting grave human rights violations there. In close cooperation with Frontex and EMSA that are operating drones and ships for their border-security missions, Italy uses Pull- and Pushback practices in order to prevent migrants of crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Italy.[33] Pull- and pushbacks are violations of international law and are considered as crimes against humanity.

Between 2014-2020 around 20,000 migrants died in the Mediterranean Sea in the attempt to arrive to Europe. Between January and November 2020, about 575 people have died in the central Mediterranean, but the real number is estimated to be considerably higher, according to IOM.[34]

Despite the intensifying conflict and systemic abuses against refugees and migrants in Libya, the Italian authorities continued to support the Libyan maritime authorities, including by reportedly donating 10 new speedboats in November, and by training Libyan crews. Italy also kept assisting the Libyan authorities with the coordination of interceptions at sea, including through the continued stationing of an Italian Navy vessel in Tripoli.[35] It is estimated that in 2019 9,225 people were intercepted at sea by the Libyan authorities and returned to Libya, where most were arbitrarily detained in inhumane conditions[36]. In 2020, over 10,300 migrants have been intercepted at sea and sent back to Libya.[37]

After arriving in Italy, in 2019 an estimated 24,000 people were deprived of a legal status, curtailing their access to health care, housing, social services, education and work and leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.[38]

Right to housing and forced evictions

Thousands of Roma continued to live in segregated camps in sub-standard housing conditions and exposed to forced evictions.[39]

In May 2019, a community of about 450 people, including around 150 children, pregnant women and older people were left homeless after being forcibly evicted by the authorities from their settlement in the municipality of Giugliano in Campania, near Naples.[40]

Involvement in Conflicts and Wars

In 2001 Italy participated in an armed conflict in Macedonia between the Albanian National Liberation Army and Macedonian Security Forces, that were supported by European countries. [41] the conflict ended with a total of 1000 casualties, among them 150-250 civilians. [42] Italy also sent troops to Aghanistan since 2001 and to Iraq between 2003-2006. Italy also was involved in the Libyan Intervention under NATO.

Regardless of the reported human rights violations and the devastating impact of the ongoing armed conflict in Yemen on the population, Italy continues to export arms to members of the Saudi-led military coalition, in full contrast with Italian law 185/1990, which prohibits arms exports “to countries engaged in armed conflict”, and also in contrast with Italy’s obligations under the EU rules on arms export control and the International Arms Trade Treaty unanimously ratified by the Italia Parliament.[43]