The Association for Legal Studies on Immigration (ASGI) and other organisations expressed grave concern over recent events involving several doctors in different Italian cities.
On 16 September 2026, the Ravenna Public Prosecutor’s Office ordered searches of the homes of 23 doctors, as well as the seizure of mobile phones and computers. The doctors were not currently under investigation. The searches form part of an investigation into possible criminal liability relating to issuing medical certificates declaring foreign nationals unfit for detention in CPRs or other centres designated for repatriation.
Of particular concern for the NGO is the news that the only doctor currently under investigation who was subjected to a search was charged with conspiracy to commit crimes, allegedly aimed at issuing false medical certificates to prevent repatriation.
As highlighted in numerous appeals, Article 32 of the Italian Constitution recognises health as a “fundamental right of the individual and a public interest”, guaranteeing healthcare to those in need regardless of nationality or legal status. Medical assessments concerning the suitability of foreign nationals for detention are not “arbitrary”: they are based on clinical findings and scientific evidence concerning the health risks associated with detention in CPRs, including the intrinsically harmful conditions of such facilities, a concern that has also been recognised by the World Health Organization.
For ASGI, the seriousness of the charges raises concerns that the accusations, together with the political and media campaign surrounding the doctors involved, may serve to intimidate and dissuade others from exercising their professional responsibilities independently.
- Association for Juridical Studies on Immigration | Associazione per gli Studi Giuridici sull'Immigrazione (17 September, 2026), [CPR, investigation into medical suitability certifications, ASGI: the duty of care enshrined in the Constitution must be defended],