Italian prosecutors are pursuing a six-year prison term for Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini related to his actions in August 2019 concerning a migrant boat operated by the Open Arms charity.
The vessel, carrying 147 migrants rescued off the Libyan coast, was detained at sea for nearly three weeks before a court ordered its docking at Lampedusa.
Salvini, who was Italy’s interior minister at the time, faces charges of kidnap and dereliction of duty but denies the accusations.
He has defended his actions, stating he aimed to prevent Italy from becoming a “refugee camp for all of Europe.” “I am guilty of defending Italy and Italians,” Salvini declared on Saturday.
The Open Arms ship was barred from docking at Lampedusa, a key entry point for migrants. Salvini’s “closed ports” policy was intended to deter human traffickers.
During the trial, testimonies revealed worsening conditions on the ship, including a scabies outbreak among the migrants.
Prosecutor Geri Ferrara emphasized that human rights should take precedence over state sovereignty.
“Between human rights and the protection of state sovereignty, it is human rights that must prevail in our fortunately democratic system,” he stated.
Salvini testified in January that he believed the situation on the ship was not critical. The trial, which started in October 2021, is expected to reach a verdict next month.
A conviction could also bar Salvini from holding future government positions.
In response to the prosecution, Salvini argued that defending Italy is not a crime and highlighted his government’s role in reducing Mediterranean migrant deaths and arrivals.
He criticized the trial as setting a dangerous precedent, asserting, “No government and no minister in history has ever been accused or put on trial for defending the borders of his own country.”
Salvini, leader of the League party, is currently in a coalition government with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, which supports strict immigration policies.
Meloni expressed her full support for Salvini, condemning the legal action as an unfair attack on border protection efforts.
Source-BBC
