Italian prosecutors on Saturday called for a six-year prison sentence for Matteo Salvini, Italy's deputy prime minister and leader of the far-right League party. The former interior minister is on trial for deprivation of liberty and abuse of power after he prevented 147 migrants from disembarking in Italy in 2019.
The case dates back to the summer of 2019, when Salvini refused to allow the ship to dock. Open Arms, run by the NGO of the same name, leaving migrants at sea for almost three weeks. According to members of the NGO, conditions on board had become critical, with significant health problems, including an outbreak of scabies. Finally, the courts had authorized the disembarkation on the island of Lampedusa.
During the trial, which began in October 2021, Open Arms' lawyer Arturo Salerni confirmed that the prosecution is seeking a six-year prison sentence. The verdict is expected next October. For his part, Matteo Salvini has reaffirmed on social media that he would do the same thing again. He considers that defending Italy's borders against illegal immigration is not a crime, but a duty mandated by Italian citizens.
This position received support from Marine Le Pen, leader of the French far right, who denounced on X (formerly Twitter) a "judicial harassment". The prosecutor Geri Ferrara, for his part, insisted on the fact that "human rights must prevail over national sovereignty" in a democratic system.
Salvini, who was then implementing the “closed ports” policy, remains an emblematic figure of opposition to immigration in Europe, supported by the ruling coalition led by Giorgia Meloni. He had already faced similar charges in 2021, but the charges were dropped at the time.
