'Know Your Rights' is a free, multilingual handbook for Italians and foreigners to inform them on their rights during identification procedures, searches, arrest or detention by Italian security forces. Special sections cover the rights of people living on the margins of society.
The handbook was drafted by the Italian Civil Rights and Freedoms Coalition (CILD) and the Italian association Antigone and it has been published in Italian, English and French and targets Italians and foreigners. It can be downloaded online. (Click here for the English version, the Italian version and the French version).
Attention to foreigners and vulnerable categories
Police detention can be extended up to 96 hours and ''provides for some protection, but there is a phase wherein there is not much in the first 24 hours, when they are in police custody prior to the prosecutor's office being notified of the pre-cautionary measure'', ANSA was told by Gennaro Santoro, lawyer and author of the document. ''We wanted to provide useful tools to those who find themselves in that situation, since it is useful to know one's rights in case they are stopped for identification or arrest because they have been charged with a crime, or even in the case of inspections, searches and identification procedures,'' he added.
'Know your rights' pay special attention to ''vulnerable categories'', including foreigners, migrants and people who live on the margins of society. The handbook references Italian laws, EU directives and the 'Letter of Rights', on the rights of those involved in criminal cases. These directives were incorporated into Italian law ''after considerable delay'', Santoro said, but are fundamental.
Among the rights is having an interpreter and translation of the trial and official deeds, tools that are ''essential to organize good defense''.
Widespread ignorance on rights
In Italy almost one million people have been arrested or detained since 2015, according to Santoro. "In general there is widespread ignorance'', he said. For example, the right to be able to alert family members, to have assistance during searches, and more in general to be able to get a copy of a report or ask an officer in plainclothes to identify themselves.
Santoro stated that ''a culture has not yet been created that gives importance to active participation by foreign citizens'' in judicial proceedings. ''We decided to make a handbook for Italians, foreigners, those working in the field and police in order to make them understand even more how important it is to be informed.''