Has Italy Finally Implemented its International Obligations Concerning the Punishment of Torture?

Almost 30 years after acceding to the Convention against Torture, in 2017 Italy introduced the crime of torture into its penal code. There was great debate as to whether the new provisions were in line with the country’s international obligations. The first interpretations of these rules by the highest criminal court draw heavily on international notions, in particular on the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights. The result is that, while the wording of the provisions remains questionable, their application tends to be consistent with (at least some) international rules.