On Saturday, an Italian prosecutor requested a six-year prison sentence for Matteo Salvini, the leader of the right-wing “League” party for his 2019 decision to prevent over 100 migrants from disembarking in Italy.
The case, reported by Reuters, marks a significant legal challenge for Salvini, who was the country’s Interior Minister at the time and currently serves as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government.
Salvini faces charges of kidnapping for his actions that left the migrants stranded at sea in 2019. Following his decision, prosecutors ordered the arrest of the migrants’ vessel and the evacuation of those on board.
The hearing took place in Palermo, Sicily, where the prosecutor presented the case for Salvini’s imprisonment. The final decision rests with the senior judge and will be made at the end of a three-stage judicial process. If convicted, Salvini could be barred from holding public office.
In response to the proceedings, Salvini remained defiant, stating on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), “I would do it all again: protecting borders from illegal immigrants is not a crime.”
Oggi a Palermo la pubblica accusa farà le sue richieste al processo che mi vede imputato per sequestro di persona.
Rischio fino a quindici anni di carcere per aver mantenuto la parola data agli elettori.
Rifarei tutto: la difesa dei confini dai clandestini non è reato.
Avanti… pic.twitter.com/5Q1lgkLwND— Matteo Salvini (@matteosalvinimi) September 14, 2024
During his 14-month tenure as Interior Minister, Salvini blocked several ships from docking in Italy, aiming to curb the flow of migrants. He has frequently accused charitable organisations that rescue migrants of encouraging illegal immigration.
Salvini’s “League” party is part of the right-centre government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Meloni has expressed her support for Salvini, describing the potential six-year sentence as “incredible” and arguing that he was fulfilling his duty to protect the country’s borders. “Turning the duty to defend Italy’s borders from illegal immigration into a crime sets a very serious precedent. My full solidarity,” Meloni stated in her social media post.
È incredibile che un Ministro della Repubblica Italiana rischi 6 anni di carcere per aver svolto il proprio lavoro difendendo i confini della Nazione, così come richiesto dal mandato ricevuto dai cittadini. Trasformare in un crimine il dovere di proteggere i confini italiani…
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) September 14, 2024
Since taking office in 2022, Meloni has vowed to crack down on unauthorised migrant arrivals from North Africa through stricter immigration laws, restrictions on rescue operations by charities, and plans to establish reception camps for migrants in Albania. However, she has also opened pathways for hundreds of thousands of migrants to work legally in Italy, aiming to fill labour market gaps and combat migrant smuggling.
According to Italy’s Interior Ministry, the number of illegal migrants arriving by sea in 2024 is approximately two-thirds lower than the same period last year, totalling 44,675 individuals. This decrease is attributed to the tougher immigration measures implemented by the Meloni government.
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