The death of Blessing Matthew, a counter-investigation at Alpine’s borders
Résumé
European migration policies have made crossing the Alpine borders, especially after 2015, a difficult, dangerous, and sometimes fatal for the people considered 'undesirable'. It was in this context that, on May 9, 2018, the lifeless body of Blessing Matthew, a young Nigerian girl, was discovered in the Durance River, a few kilometers from the French-Italian border. Three years later, the judicial investigation ended with a dismissal that failed to shed light on the circumstances surrounding Blessing's death. This prompted the start of an investigative effort by a group of individuals, including researchers, seeking truth and justice. To carry out the investigation, the team used the tools of Forensic Architecture, a multidisciplinary approach that uses architectural techniques and visual reconstructions to investigate cases of state violence and human rights violations.