Home » Campagne Zéro Expulsion » Ciao en Solidarité! » Solidarity Initiative: defending Housing Rights is a human right not a crime!

Mostra/Nascondi il menu

Campagne Zéro Expulsion

Solidarity Initiative: defending Housing Rights is a human right not a crime!

In Padova on Sunday February 2nd , there will be an initiative in solidarity with Cesare Ottolini, the secretary of Padova Unione Inquilini (Tenants’ Union), and global coordinator of the International Alliance of Inhabitants. Cesare Ottolini will face trial on the 12/02/2020 for having participated peacefully during September 2017 in defending an Algerian family with 5 children from being evicted from their home by Dobank-UNICREDIT.

This action was a temporary  measure to compensate for the failure of the mayor of S.Martino di Lupari, the town in which their home is situated, to defend this family from a violation of national and international legislation safeguarding the right to housing.  So far, this case has positively involved Padova Prefecture in obtaining the postponement of the eviction until today and the beginning of dialogue with a municipality that until then has been deaf.

This case has also become exemplary at an international level thanks to the intervention of Leilani Farha, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing, as requested by the Tenants’ Union and the International Alliance of Inhabitants, who sent the Italian Government a request for clarification asking for full compliance with the above legislation. Given the unsatisfying response by the Italian Government, Leilani Farha included this case in her annual Report on violations of housing rights, presented at the 40th  Session of the UN General Assembly.

Paradoxically, those who have acted in defence of housing rights must now face trial, risking over four years of imprisonment for “private aggravated violence against a public official ”.

This case is one of the poisoned fruits of the punitive atmosphere created by the security decree wanted by the former Interior minister Salvini. More generally, it’s yet another example of the increasing judicial repression affecting  hundred of activists for human rights throughout Italy. including several others in Padova. 

The UN Special  Rapporteur on the situation of human rights activists has been informed about the situation in Italy, and has already expressed notable concern and willingness to intervene.

The Un Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing has agreed to participate in a skype intervention on Sunday February 2nd  at  Padova’s Coralli Cooperative hall, during an innovative show, which will alternate witness statements, music, theatre and dance.

Interventions:

  • Testimony: Motkhari Asmahane, mother of the family with 5 minors under eviction
  • Presentation of the case: Antonio Lovatini and Federico Pampaloni, lawyers
  • Direct skype: Leilani Fahra ,  UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing

Theater-dance-music:

  • Cristina Minoia and Roberto Caruso, Abracalam association , from "Interaquas", dedicated to the waterways as Soul of Landscape and Civilization.

Concert:

  • Roberto Tombesi , founder of the group Calicanto, from the concert "In 'sta via", on 35 years of activity attentive to the roots and bridge to the contemporary world.

The initiative of Sunday February 2nd  calls for compliance with  the national and international legislation ratified by Italy:  defending housing rights is a human right not a crime!

Every citizen is invited to participate, along with any voluntary, social, trade union and political organisations who want to demonstrate their concrete solidarity. 

Free admission

“Ciao in solidarietà” committee

Unione Inquilini

International Alliance of Inhabitants

Initiative Poster

 

Information

unioneinquilini.padova@habitants.org - global.coordinator.iai@habitants.org

FB Unione Inquilini Padova

Ciao in Solidari ty !  


Le Traducteur Volontaire pour le droit au logement sans frontières de l'IAI qui a collaboré à la traduction de ce texte est :

George Wright