Palermo judges acquitted Transport Minister Matteo Salvini in the Open Arms affair. The then Minister of the Interior was accused of kidnapping and refusal of official documents for having denied the disembarkation in Lampedusa of 147 migrants rescued by the Spanish NGO
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The court of Palermo acquitted the leader of the League Matteo Salvini from accusations of kidnapping and refusal of official documents to the trial for the affair of the ship of the Spanish NGO Open Arms because the fact does not exist.
According to the accusation, the deputy prime minister and minister of transport, in August 2019, when he held the position of minister of the Interior, illegitimately prevented the crew of the Catalan vessel from disembarking in Lampedusa 147 migrants rescued at sea.
The reading of the device was greeted by applause from politicians and supporters who came to express solidarity with Salvini. The minister hugged his girlfriend Fracesca Verdini for a long time, who was present in the chamber. For Salvini the Prosecutor's Office had requested the sentenced to six years in prison while the civil parties had requested a sentence of one million euros as compensation for damages.
On Thursday, during the summit with the leaders of the Patriots in Brussels, the secretary of the League said he was not worried, but “confident and determined” by the judges' decision.
The deputy prime minister then quoted Ezra Pound: “If a man is not willing to take a risk for his ideas, either his ideas are worth nothing or he is worth nothing.”
Elon Musk's message of support for Salvini
In a post on X, billionaire Elon Musk expressed his support for Salvini. “You did the right thing,” wrote the Tesla owner in a tweet later republished by the vice prime minister.
“It is absurd that Salvini is being prosecuted for having defended Italy”, argued Musk, defending the deputy prime minister's actions.
Because Salvini was on trial
The facts date back to August 2019, when Salvini, as Minister of the Interior of the Conte government, prevented the landing of the nave ong Open Arms for nineteen days. The ship had 147 people on boardincluding 27 minors, rescued in three separate operations in the Mediterranean.
The rejection occurs in the summer of “closed ports” as a consequence of the bis safety decree approved by the first government presided over by Giuseppe Conte.
After the recovery of the migrants at sea, on August 2 the Open Arms requested to dock in the first safe haven available which, according to international standards, the nearest coastal authority is required to grant. However, from Rome, entry into Italian waters is prohibited, in accordance with the safety decree bis.
In the following days, due to worsening health conditions, several castaways were assisted on board and others were disembarked. But the Ministry of the Interior does not give in does not grant landing authorisations.
On August 12th juvenile court of Palermo questions the government on the issue, recalling that national and international rules “impose the ban on rejection at the border or expulsion of unaccompanied foreign minors”.
Two days later, the Lazio Regional Administrative Court suspends the government decree which prevented the disembarkation, following the complaint presented by Open Arms' lawyers. The ship then sets course for Italy but no indication of a safe port has yet arrived. The situation on board worsens and 13 migrants throw themselves into the sea out of desperation, before being rescued by the Coast Guard.
The situation was resolved on 20 August, when the prosecutor of Agrigento, Luigi Patronaggioboards the Open Arms to personally verify the situation. Shortly after, orders immediate disembarkation. The ship docks at the port of Lampedusa and the 83 people on board disembarked after 19 days at sea.
In November 2019, Salvini comes formally investigated for kidnapping and failure to perform official acts and in January 2021 he was sent to trial. The process begins.
ADVERTISINGOn 13 September 2024, after seven hours of indictment, prosecutors Geri Ferrara, Marzia Sabella and Giorgia Righi, they ask for Salvini to be sentenced to six years.
According to the prosecutors, the “safe harbor should have been released without delay and immediately, the denial was in defiance of the rules and not to continue a government plan”. “Human rights come before the defense of borders,” the magistrates underlined.
Twenty-four hearings and forty-five witnesses heard in three years, until Friday's decision.
