In the overcrowded cells of Massama prison, the atmosphere remains extremely tense . Inmates, now impatient , are protesting the new arrivals from Badu 'e Carros and Regina Coeli . Further transfers may occur in the coming weeks, and Massama prison may be somewhat "lightened," but in the meantime, the situation remains critical and complex to manage . "We have long been concerned about the progressive deterioration of the organizational and structural conditions of the Oristano Massama prison," says the regional secretary of the USPP, Andrea Pistis. And now, with the 22 new high-security inmates arriving from Nuoro prison and the 32 medium-security inmates from Rome, the situation has become explosive.
Two days ago, several inmates from different wards created chaos almost simultaneously, damaging furniture and lamps and flooding an entire floor.
"Recently, there have been peaks in admissions that have severely strained the facility's capacity," Pistis adds. "This situation has led to an overload that the institution is unable to sustain in the long term, also due to a staffing level that is not proportionate to the new operational needs ." There are currently 297 inmates (Massama has 264 places), compared to 214 at the end of November; there are approximately 140 prison police officers .
Paolo Mocci, the Guarantor for Persons Deprived of Their Liberty, also emphasizes the difficulties. "What happened demonstrates that Sardinia cannot address problems alone that are national in scope and require multiple responses ." The overcrowding figures at Massama, as well as at other prisons, "highlight pressure on infrastructure, staffing, and healthcare services. The indiscriminate deployment of inmates, based on presumed space availability but without an analysis of staffing resources, is worrying." The Guarantor calls for infrastructure upgrades, improved management of common areas, and improved emergency procedures. "It is essential that the Region, the State, and the Prison Administration work together to restore Massama prison to its role as a place where human rights are respected and the dignity of inmates is safeguarded."
