Although the Parliament and the Government have demonstrated strong commitment to the protection of human rights, some laws discriminate against women, particularly with regard to the transmission of citizenship. The law prohibits such practices, and there were no reports that officials employed them. The law provides for an independent judiciary, and the Government respects this provision in practice. The judicial system delegates some of its authority to Italian magistrates, both in criminal and in civil cases. A local conciliation judge handles cases of minor importance.
Appeals go, in the first instance, to an Italian judge residing in Italy.
The judiciary provides citizens with a fair and efficient judicial process. The law prohibits such practices. Government authorities respect these prohibitions, and violations are subject to effective legal sanction. The law provides for freedom of speech and of the press, and the Government respects these rights in practice. The law provides for these rights, and the Government respects them in practice.