Life sentence for 22-year-old defendant who stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death in Italy

Filippo TurettaA 22-year-old young man who confessed to killing his ex-girlfriend Giulia Cecchettin was sentenced to prison. life imprisonmentThe harshest punishment in Italy. The judge rejected the aggravating circumstances of cruelty and harassment, but maintained the maximum sentence.

The sentence came just a year after Cecchettin’s body was found in a ditch in November 2023. 70 stab wounds and wrapped in plastic bags. A week before she was discovered, she disappeared after going to a shopping mall with Turetta.

Fight against gender violence

The case shocked Italy and increased demands for stronger measures against gender-based violence. Giulia’s father, Gino Cecchettin, said after the verdict: “I am neither more relieved nor sadder than yesterday. This sentence does not console me for the loss of my daughter. “We must combat gender violence through prevention, not punishment.”

Both Gino and Elena ChechettinThe victim’s sisters became key figures in the fight for a culture that values ​​women’s lives. At Giulia’s funeral attended by about 10,000 people In December last year, her father called on those present to be “agents of change” in the face of patriarchal culture.

The impact of femicide in Italy

Giulia’s murder is not an isolated case. in the first 10 months 2024At least 96 women were killed in Italy 51 people died at the hands of current or former partnersAccording to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The case also revealed chilling evidence, such as the video below: Turetta dealt a blow to Cecchettin shortly before he disappeared. He was arrested in Germany a week after becoming the prime suspect.

Turetta’s conviction represents a legal breakthrough, but activists and the victim’s relatives insist prevention and education They are necessary tools to eliminate such crimes. The femicide of Giulia Cecchettin has become a symbol of the urgent need for cultural and legal change in Italy.