Italian 15-year-old spent 72 days in Maltese isolation after school bomb hoax, family says he self-harmed

A 15-year-old Italian boy, Flavio Santoiemma, has now spent 72 days in detention on Malta following his arrest on 25 May for raising a false bomb alarm at his school in Mosta. His parents, Antonio Santoiemma and Daniela Lorusso, who have lived on the island for five years, describe his treatment as a violation of international humanitarian standards. The Italian embassy in Valletta and the Farnesina are monitoring the case, with the next court hearing set for 19 August.

Initial detention and adult prison transfer

Maltese police received a call at about 9am on 25 May from a male voice saying there was a bomb at the Mosta secondary school. Pupils were evacuated and soldiers from the Armed Forces of Malta searched the building, finding nothing suspicious. Flavio was taken into custody the same day. Rather than being placed immediately in a juvenile facility, he was held for four days in isolation in Division 6 of Corradino, Malta's adult prison. During that period, his father says, the intense stress caused the teenager to self-harm.

“Nostro figlio per quattro giorni è stato detenuto in isolamento presso la divisione 6 del carcere di Corradino per adulti, dove per il forte stress si è autolesionato.”

Following the self-harm incident, Maltese authorities transferred him to the Coors juvenile detention centre, also known as YOURS.

Conditions at the Coors juvenile facility

The transfer did not end the harsh isolation. For the first 35 days at Coors, Flavio was confined to his cell for 22 hours a day. His parents reported that he was forced to eat standing up, and for three days he had to eat with his hands because no one provided cutlery. His cell contained a bed, a toilet, and a sink that the mother described as broken.

“Fino a che punto mio figlio può affrontare questa detenzione? È illegale, viola i principi umanitari.”

After a month, the regime was eased slightly: he can now watch television in another room, eat seated at a table, and spend two hours in a games room. However, he remains isolated from other detainees, takes his only shower at noon while others rest, and is kept under constant CCTV surveillance, which his mother likened to a high-security "41-bis" regime.

Legal process and consular response

The case is currently under review by the Maltese judicial authorities. A consular official from the Italian embassy visited Flavio on 26 June, and a second visit by Ambassador Valentina Setta was scheduled for 5 August. The embassy has also met with the director of the prison and attended earlier hearings as an observer. The Farnesina stated it has raised the case with local authorities on multiple occasions and maintains constant contact with the family, including a video call meeting held the previous day with Foreign Ministry officials and the family's lawyers. Foreign minister Antonio Tajani said he had activated every possible diplomatic channel with Malta to reach a swift solution and secure the boy's release.

Family's objections and next steps

The parents do not dispute the need to face consequences for the false alarm, saying their son must take responsibility. Their objection is to the manner of detention, which their lawyers have judged illegal under international treaties to which Malta is a party.

“Se c'è stato un reato si deve assumere le proprie responsabilità, noi contestiamo l'illegalità della detenzione perché sta violando tutti i trattati di cui Malta fa parte.”

The next hearing, which will examine the legality of his continued detention, is set for 19 August.