Moroccan man found dead by hanging in Italian prison

Thursday 18 January 2024 - 10:14

NAPLES, Italy - Tragedy has once again cast a shadow behind the imposing walls of Poggioreale prison in Naples. In the early morning hours of Tuesday, January 17th, the lifeless body of a 38-year-old Moroccan man was discovered hanging by the neck in his dimly lit cell. Prison staff arrived at the somber scene just after dawn.

The unidentified man had experienced homelessness before his incarceration on December 20th, 2023, under unspecified charges. His body has been transferred to the city morgue at Nuovo Policlinico Federico II hospital for a mandatory autopsy.

This incident marks the third suicide at the notorious Poggioreale facility in just over two weeks since the beginning of 2024. The compound, with parts dating back to the 19th century, is widely recognized for its chronic overcrowding and inadequate staffing.

For years, human rights groups have denounced the Dickensian conditions within the prison. However, the recent surge in suicides has intensified scrutiny on the mental distress and the absence of sufficient supervision, medical care, and rehabilitation faced by the overlooked inmates of Poggioreale. As of now, Italian correctional authorities have chosen to remain silent on any potential measures to address the aftermath of this latest heart-wrenching tragedy within the ancient walls of the prison.