The Palermo prosecutor's office on Saturday requested a six-year prison sentence. Matteo Salvini Against the Italian Deputy Prime Minister, former Minister of the Interior, on charges of kidnapping and abuse of official power.
The proceedings began three years ago against the League leader because in 2019, as interior minister, he refused to allow the Spanish civilian ship Open Arms to dock in Lampedusa with 147 migrants on board. The six-year prison sentence proposed by the prosecutor's office is far less than the maximum 15 years that could be imposed on the basis of the charges.
A Giuseppe Conte Led by the Five Star Movement (M5S) and the League government, in August 2019, the Open Arms ship was kept waiting for nineteen days. Finally, the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Agrigento, Sicily, intervened and allowed them to remain on shore. In the summer of 2020, Parliament revoked Matteo Salvini’s immunity in the Open Arms procedure, which was initiated against the former Minister of the Interior on charges, among others, of hostage-taking, abuse of official power and violation of international agreements.
Salvini was not present in the courtroom on Saturday. He wrote on his Instagram page that he was proud to have taken action to protect Italy's borders and would do the same again if necessary.
A verdict in the case is expected in October.
(MTI)
