"Inhuman" hygienic conditions, mice and bedbugs, "inedible" food and even punishments such as buckets of water or "fugda" which consists of being locked in a cage mounted in the cell and looking at the ceiling all day.
It is the dramatic story of Carmen Giorgio , former cellmate of Ilaria Salis , the teacher from Monza of Sardinian origin detained in Hungary on charges of assaulting two far-right militants.
Interviewed by Massimo Gramellini in the program “In altre parole” broadcast on La7, Giorgio spoke about a situation that «has nothing to do with the European Union».
The woman was in Budapest for a working holiday and on 24 June 2023 she was accused of human trafficking because, she explained, in the car «I had people with non-European passports. And in Hungary it is a crime."
In prison she shared a cell with Ilaria and 6 other women: «We became friends. She was thinking of leaving early because it is something that is neither in heaven nor on earth."
Describing life in prison, in addition to recalling that Ilaria received the package sent from home "after five months", Carmen Giorgio said that "we spent 23 hours a day in the cell. There was an hour of fresh air but we they asked to choose between air and a shower."
The woman also said that she, Ilaria Salis and the other cellmates were subjected to "buckets of water in the cell, where they then made us go back to clean".
«Psychologically – he concluded – we were on the ground. I told her: "Ilaria defend yourself, get the media involved". And she: "No, I don't want to ruin relations between Italy and Hungary." The last time I saw her was in January and a few days before leaving I told her: "Ilaria, I'll help you get out of there, if you have to pay, come to Italy".
(Unioneonline/lf)