European Court of Human Rights absolves Italy of Carlo Giuliani’s death

On March 24 the European Court of Human Rights fully absolved Italy of the death of Carlo Giuliani during the anti-G8 protests of 2001 in Genoa.

With 13 votes in favour and only 4 against, the Chamber decreted the full assolution of Mario Placanica, the Carabiniere who shot Giuliani in Piazza Alimonda. The appeal had been presented to the Court by Carlo’s family in 2002, not “for revenge against the Carabiniere, but to open the only possibility of a public debate”. In their statement the family accused Italian authorities of having caused Carlo’s death by excessive use of force.

After viewing video footage and photographs of the incident the ECHR noted that Placanica had acted in self-defence. Furthermore, it also dismissed allegations that there had been shortcomings in the organisation of operations to maintain public order in Genoa for the G8 and that there had been no effective investigation into Giuliani’s death.

Reacting to the verdict, Giuliani’s father said the family “would not surrender and carry on their fight for truth” by pursuing the case through the civil courts.

You can read the official press release issued by the ECHR here: Grand Chamber judgment Giuliani and Gaggio v. Italy 24.03.2011.

http://italycalling.wordpress.com/2011/03/28/european-court-of-human-rights-absolves-italy-of-carlo-giulianis-death/