On February 12, a trial began in the case of Moussa Balde, the young Guinean who took his own life in 2021 at the Centro di Permanenza per il Rimpatrio (CPR) in Turin. The manager of the CPR and a doctor at the center have been charged with manslaughter.
The case revolves around Moussa Balde, a 23-year-old from Guinea who died by suicide in May 2021 at the Turin repatriation center. He had been placed in the facility after suffering a violent attack by a group of Italians in Ventimiglia (Imperia).
On trial in Turin are Annalisa S., the CPR manager on behalf of the operating company Gepsa (which has also been summoned as a civilly liable entity), and Fulvio P., a doctor at the center.
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Defendants accused of manslaughter
Annalisa S. and Fulvio P. are charged with manslaughter. Moussa’s family has joined the trial as a civil party, represented by lawyers Gian Luca Vitale and Laura Martinelli. Outside the courthouse, a solidarity protest took place, attended by anarchists and activists opposing the government’s immigration policies.
Among those in the courtroom were the mother and sister of Ousmane Sylla, a young man who also died by suicide in 2024 at the CPR in Ponte Galeria, Rome. Civil parties in the case include the Frantz Fanon Association, the Association for Legal Studies on Immigration (Asgi), and the Guarantor for the Rights of Detainees. After initial procedural matters, the trial was adjourned until September.
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Moussa's brother: 'We demand justice'
"We ask that justice be served for our family, for our sons and brothers, but also for everyone's sons and brothers, so that this never happens again. We ask the Italian state for sincerity and transparency, and for justice to hear all testimonies and facts -- to realize how they lied to us and how they treat people in these detention centers," said Thierno Balde, Moussa's brother, who spoke alongside their mother, Djenabou.
"Everyone must understand that we are all human beings and must live together. Skin color does not matter -- we are all people. And if someone comes to a country seeking a better future, they should be welcomed. We need policies of hospitality and the recognition that each of us can learn something valuable from another's culture," he stated during a press conference organized by the No CPR Network in Turin.
During the event, Moussa's family recounted his journey -- from traveling to Algeria to reunite with his older brother, to his resolute decision (despite his parents' pleas) to reach Europe, and finally his arrival in Imperia, where he was placed in a reception center.
"He was proud to be in Italy and to have learned Italian," they recalled.
Also in attendance was the sister of Ousmane Sylla, another migrant who died by suicide in a CPR in Rome. "He had a plan, he did nothing wrong, and we demand not only justice but also truth. People don't leave their countries to cause harm—they leave with hope, following their own paths," said Mariama Sylla.
"Despite these deaths and injustices, the CPR facilities still exist. We will continue to fight -- for all migrants at the borders and those detained in these centers," she concluded.
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*Editor's note: If you are suffering from serious emotional strain or suicidal thoughts, do not hesitate to seek professional help. You can find information on where to find such help, no matter where you live in the world, at this website: https://www.befrienders.org/
In Italy, In emergencies, eg. urgent and specific suicidal thoughts, please contact the Italy Suicide Hotline: 800860022.