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Asylum seeker commits suicide in Italy after violent racist attack

An asylum seeker from Guinea who was recently racially attacked has committed suicide in a reception centre in Turin, Italy.

Musa Balde died by suicide after he used his bed sheet to hang himself in his room.

On 9th May 2021, the 23-year-old became a victim of racist violence in Ventimiglia, northern Italy.

The young man had a small discussion with three men in a food store in Ventimiglia. However the verbal confrontation soon turned into a physical one.

The three men followed Musa Balde out of the shop, cornered and beat him severely. Passers-by who heard the boy scream called the police. By the time the police arrived the three attackers had disappeared. They were however traced and arrested within 24 hours after the police officers listened to the eyewitnesses and watched the videos captured by the shop’s CCTV camera and witnesses’ cellphones.

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The three attackers are a 28-year-old and a 39-year-old from Agrigento, and a 44-year-old man from Reggio Calabria, all living in Ventimiglia. They were charged with aggravated assault and body injuries. Now that their victim has committed suicide, they risk facing charges of instigating suicide and causing grievous bodily harm.