In 2014, Controsservatorio Valsusa made a request to the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal, to iniciate investigations on the project of the design and construction of the new Turin-Lyon railway line, to prove the serious and systematic violations of the fundamental rights of the Susa Valley community. With the filing of the Indictment on March 14, 2014, in Turin, the preliminary investigation phase was formally opened, which also included documentation of other cases deemed representative of complementary situations, both in terms of content and the opposition and resistance activities of the communities involved, with reference to the exemplary case of the Turin-Lyon high-speed rail line. Among these: the MOSE in Venice, the TAV in Florence, the MUOS in Niscemi, the thermodynamic solar power plant in Basilicata, the drilling projects distributed throughout the territory, the Messina bridge, the Orte-Mestre motorway, the Apuan Alps basin, Notre-Dame-des-Landes airport in France, the TAV in France, the Basque Country, the United Kingdom and Germany, and the Roșia Montană mine in Romania. The session took place from 5 to 8 November 2015, at the headquarters of the Fabbrica delle E del Gruppo Abele and at the Teatro Magnetto in Almese.The examination of the evidence revealed that the TAV project in the Susa Valley did not emerge as an isolated occurrance, but rather represented a widespread method of intervention in major issues of land and environmental change.
An examination of the evidence shows that the high-speed rail (TAV) project in the Susa Valley has not been characterized as an isolated incident, but rather represents a widespread approach to addressing major issues involving changes to the territory and the environment. The Tribunal has identified countless risks associated with the construction of the project in question, including pollution, permanent changes to the soil, with consequent damage to buildings, reduced ground stability, and non-compliance with seismic standards. Serious violations of the fundamental rights of local communities have been recognized, including the rights to participation, information, and environmental protection.
The Tribunal recommended that the implementation of major construction projects be subject to technical and participatory assessments that demonstrate their necessity, giving priority to interventions essential for safety, land management, and public services.
Requesting organisations:
Documentation:
Download the English version of the Judgment
Download the Judgement in Italian
Download the Judgement in French