An Albanian man facing a five-year jail term in Italy for supplying cocaine tried to block his extradition to the country over claims of poor prison conditions — but a UK court has dismissed his arguments.
Maringlen Qefalia, 41, who allegedly entered the UK illegally in 2022, had argued that the lack of hot water in Italian prisons violated his human rights under the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR).
Human Rights Claim Centers on Hot Water
Qefalia cited Article Three of the ECHR, which protects against inhuman or degrading treatment, including torture.
Rather than giving evidence himself, he relied on an expert witness, Alessio Scandurra from the Antigone non-profit, to outline alleged shortcomings in Italy’s prison system.
While prisoners can purchase fans to stay cool, he said around half of the inmates he visited lacked access to them.
Concerns Over Space and Facilities
The expert also raised issues about cramped conditions.
Many cells, he explained, do not meet ECHR guidelines requiring at least nine square metres per inmate, with an additional five square metres for each extra prisoner.
Some prisons, originally built as convents or military facilities, fail to meet these requirements, forcing inmates to share tight spaces with multiple bunk beds and limited room to move, exercise, or access fresh air.
Scandurra described scenarios where prisoners could not all sit at a table together and were restricted in their use of facilities due to insufficient staff.
Overcrowding was a recurring concern, with some prisons reportedly operating at 150 per cent capacity.
Italian Government Defends Prison Conditions
Italy’s legal team, led by Adam Squibbs, countered the claims.
Squibbs argued that even older prisons comply with the regulations and provide inmates opportunities for work and education outside their cells.
While he admitted that hot water was sometimes unavailable, he insisted that cold showers alone do not constitute a human rights violation.
Squibbs also highlighted that Qefalia had posted £2,000 bail, suggesting he could afford small amenities such as a fan in his cell.
He argued that the overall conditions, when taken as a whole, did not breach Article Three of the ECHR.
Court Rejects Extradition Challenge
The judge ultimately rejected Qefalia’s challenge, noting that he fled Italy fully aware of the legal consequences he faced.
The court found insufficient evidence to support his claims that temporary shortages of hot water or overcrowding would amount to inhuman or degrading treatment.
As a result, Qefalia is expected to be extradited to Italy to serve his sentence for supplying 1.5 kilograms of cocaine.