In a landmark decision in May 2025, Italy’s Constitutional Court struck down key elements of the country’s decades-old psychiatric treatment laws, specifically targeting Article 35 of Law 833/1978. The ruling affects Trattamento Sanitario Obbligatorio (TSO), the legal framework that allows for compulsory psychiatric hospitalization. While the decision mandates new procedural safeguards—such as the right to legal representation and a hearing before a judge—it stops short of abolishing TSO entirely, leaving many human rights advocates concerned.

The move has been praised by some as progress, but organizations such as the Citizens Commission on Human Rights Italy (CCDU) —an advocacy group founded by the Church of Scientology—warn that involuntary psychiatric treatment remains a violation of fundamental rights regardless of process. CCDU and allied groups argue that true reform must align with international standards like the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) , which explicitly rejects coercive mental health practices.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have both issued reports condemning forced psychiatric interventions as harmful and incompatible with human dignity. Similarly, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has criticized Italy for its reliance on TSO, urging a shift toward voluntary, community-based care models.

CCDU supports a legislative proposal from the Italian advocacy group Diritti alla Follia , which seeks to replace TSO with systems rooted in informed consent and personal autonomy. This initiative is grounded in the long-standing anti-psychiatry philosophy of L. Ron Hubbard , founder of the Church of Scientology, who was a vocal critic of coercive psychiatric practices. His writings laid the foundation for the global campaign led by the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) to end involuntary treatment and promote transparency in mental health care.

As Italy’s Parliament prepares to draft new legislation in response to the court ruling, advocates stress that anything less than full abolition of coercive practices Trattamento Sanitario Obbligatorio changes will continue to violate human rights. The debate reflects a broader global shift toward a mental health care model based not on control, but on dignity, choice, and respect.

???? Read the full article here to explore the full implications of this pivotal moment in Italy’s mental health policy and the growing movement for human rights-centered care.