Isolated on a farm in Castelrotto, Nikolaus ChizzaliThe 60-year-old, lawyer from Bolzano and partner of the law firm Brandstätter, died on October 27, 2022. Chizzali suffered from thrombosis which, according to the investigation, was not treated with traditional medical treatment, but exclusively with natural remedies and homeopathy, under pressure from family members. Among them were also a doctor and a pharmacist who must have had a certain influence on him.
Three years after his death, that is Bolzano Prosecutor’s Office has listed eight people on the list of suspects. Prosecutor Francesca Sassani accused them of exerting “pressure on Chizzali to the point of harassment”, with repeated belittling behavior and psychological abuse. The alleged crime is aggravated family abuse. Investigators highlighted how family members also have interests regarding the management of the attorney’s assets.
The man’s drama began when, due to suspected thrombosis, he was accompanied by one of the suspects to the Bolzano hospital. Convinced by his relatives to abandon traditional medicine, Chizzali moved to a farm, where he was treated only with natural remedies and homeopathy. According to the findings, the lawyer spent the last three months of his life under constant psychological pressure, without the possibility of voting.
Family members will have it his phone was stolen, preventing him from contacting his wifeliving in Veneto, or other acquaintances. They also handled property issues and refused doctors’ instructions during routine checks at the farmhouse. Chizzali’s condition, which did not receive adequate treatment, worsened, causing serious complications: stroke, kidney infarction, and ultimately fatal septic shock. With the completion of the investigation, the Prosecutor’s Office must now decide on charges against the eight suspects. Human rights defenders still have several days to file documents and request a hearing on behalf of their clients.
