The United Nations International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement (UN Mechanism) warned Friday against racial discrimination in Italian law enforcement, following a comprehensive mission that included visits to Rome, Milan, Catania, and Naples to assess the intersection of race and law enforcement practices.

The UN Mechanism heard testimonies on racial profiling in Italy’s law enforcement agencies, which “create harmful and spurious associations of Blackness with criminality and delinquency,” Chairperson Akua Kuenyehia said. She continued, emphasizing, “The legitimate task to promote citizens safety and security should not be construed as a licence to engage in racial profiling. This practice erodes trust in law enforcement, and as a result, reduces law enforcement effectiveness.”

The UN Mechanism found “a lack of comprehensive race-based data hampering efforts to address racial disparities.” It also expressed concerns about overcrowding in Italian prisons and its impact on detainees’ human rights, highlighting the prevalence of systemic racism, and noted instances of torture and ill-treatment, including a case at the Cesare Beccaria Juvenile Detention Centre in Milan. Furthermore, the experts raised concerns about the challenges migrants and asylum seekers face in accessing legal protections, which are “often exacerbated by law enforcement abuse of authority and bureaucratic delays.” It emphasized the need for immigration services to be civilian-controlled and suggested that immigration offices should be placed “within or nearby affected communities.”

The UN Mechanism shared its preliminary findings with the Italian Government. It will draft a full report to be presented to the UN Human Rights Council at its 57th session in the fall.

The Human Rights Council established the UN Mechanism in 2021 to address systemic racism and human rights violations by law enforcement against Africans and people of African descent. The mechanism’s mandate is to investigate international human rights law violations and governments’ responses to peaceful anti-racism protests, contributing to accountability and redress for victims. Justice Yvonne Mokgoro, Dr. Tracie Keesee, and Professor Juan Méndez were appointed as experts on the mechanism. Justice Mokgoro served as chairperson until his resignation in March 2024.