Human rights court censures Italy over 2001 G8 clashes

By Ilker Girit

ISTANBUL (AA) - The European Court of Human Rights on Thursday said the Italian authorities did not properly investigate allegations of police torture against protesters arrested during G8 summit demonstrations in 2001.

The court in Strasbourg said in a statement it "considered that the applicants had not had the benefit of an effective official investigation".

European judges also granted victims the right to receive between €10,000 ($11,800) and €85,000 ($100,400) in damages.

They added that accused police officers had not been suspended from duty during the trial, "nor was it clear from the government’s observations whether they had been the subject of disciplinary action."

In 2015, the court also ruled that a midnight police raid on a school premises in Genoa in 2001 "must be classed as torture."

Italy hosted the G8 Summit from 19 to 21 July 2001 while an anti-globalization summit was also staged at the same time in Genoa.

A large number of protests were organized during the events, some of which led to conflict between police and demonstrators.

After clashes caused hundreds of injuries, Genoa public prosecutor’s office commenced criminal proceedings against 145 individuals.