Abuses and threats. Doctor Toccafondi is one of the 45 defendants in the trial that is taking place in Genoa for the tortures inflicted on many of the 250 Italian and foreign demonstrators who were “hosted” in Bolzaneto temporary detention centre in July 2001. Carabinieri, police officers, prison guards, prison doctors and hospital attendants are charged with a variety of crimes: abuse of office, private violence, personal injuries, physical abuse, slander, threats, falsity in a public document, abuse of power against the detainees.

No disciplinary measures taken. Public prosecutors also charged doctor Toccafondi with violations of penitentiary rules and regulations and violation of the Convention for protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

He has been accused of "personally carrying out, and authorising other doctors to carry out tests, the so-called “triad”, and medical examinations in ways that do not comply with humanity and respect for the dignity of the person examined, thus subjecting people to a cruel and degrading treatment both from a penitentiary and medical point of view." In spite of the serious charges against him, doctor Giacomo Toccafondi has not been transferred, removed or fired, on the contrary: he has continued serving as assistant surgeon at the Pontedecimo hospital, managed by Genoa Asl (Italian local health authority) n° 3, and has even kept his job as health manager of women’s penitentiary in Pontedecimo. No disciplinary measure has been taken against him, or against many other people who were suspected or indicted, like police officers Alessandro Canterini, (chief of the VII anti-riot squad, responsible for the beatings at the Diaz school) and Alessandro Perugini (second-in-command of the Genoa DIGOS), who have been promoted to top-ranking officers, even after their indictment. The same goes for doctor Toccafondi, who was summoned again by the Italian state last month, to serve at the Ministry of Defence, in the Reserve Forces section. It is reported in a resolution of the Genoa Asl n° 3, where doctor Toccafondi works with an open-ended contract.

 

Missions abroad. Senior officer Toccafondi (this is his grade in the Army Reserve Forces) has been “drafted into the Army”, and has served at the Ministry of Defence from June 25 to 26 in the current year. It is stated in the resolution n° 909 of the Asl n° 3, dated August 1^st 2007. How was he employed? In a new “peace mission” as in Bosnia? Or for medical examinations, for which his “remarkable professional qualities” were needed? Or maybe for a job interview, waiting for a further and well-paid assignment from the Ministry of Defence? The Genoa military Command informs that on those days the doctor was summoned to Trieste, at the military Command that “enlisted” him for Bosnia, just for an “informative meeting.” But it isn’t all. Examining the various resolutions of the Asl, we discovered that in 2004 doctor Toccafondi, for whom public prosecutors in the G8 trial had already asked his indictement to the Gip, had been drafted into the Army for an even more important and lasting assignment: Kosovo. The Asl acknowledges the request for a job 'leave' in the resolution n° 854, dated June 22^nd 2005. Doctor Toccafondi has served in the Italian military contingent from September 29^th until December 10^th 2004. Genoa Asl n° 3 has started a disciplinary procedure against doctor Toccafondi. However, it is suspendend until the judiciary procedure against him will be over.

The hospital attendant who denounced him. The “deeds” of the doctor in the days of the G8 summit, have been denounced by the hospital assistant who worked closely with him at Bolzaneto, Marco Poggi, 55 years old. Contacted by PeaceReporter, Poggi reported for the umpteenth time what happened. "The doctor was almost always dressed in camouflage overalls, with a blue shirt bearing the words “Penitentiary Police.” In my several years of service, I have never seen a doctor working in a military suit. He didn’t have the attitude that you would expect from a doctor on such circumstances, that is, to put patients at ease, especially those who were shocked. He behaved with arrogance. He told young protesters: 'Now I’ll give you Che Guevara', “I can smell the stench of communism here”, or “You are a terrorist.” He was overexcited, he felt all-powerful.

Toccafondi had taken some belongings of the demonstrators. He said they were his “spoils of war.” He also boasted on the trophies he had gathered in Bosnia, that he kept in a bag. His behaviour and language revealed his lack of respect for human dignity. In my long work experience, both in prisons and asylums, I had never seen such a behaviour. It shocked me. Let’s figure its impact on those poor guys, who arrived at the infirmary injured and scared". What do you expect of justice? “Honestly, I don’t expect anything for me. But I expect justice for those guys.” Do you think that doctor Toccafondi is guilty?. "Without any doubt.