Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has been acquitted by a Sicilian court, concluding a legal battle that began in April 2021. Salvini faced charges of kidnapping and dereliction of duty, arising from his 2019 decision to block a migrant rescue ship, operated by the Spanish NGO Open Arms, from docking on the Italian island of Lampedusa.
The 2019 incident saw the vessel carrying 147 migrants, including 27 minors, waiting offshore. Salvini, serving as Minister of the Interior at the time, maintained that his actions were in defense of national borders, a stance supported by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who praised the court’s decision after the verdict. Meloni emphasized the importance of continuing efforts to curb illegal migration and safeguard sovereignty.
The Sicilian court’s ruling also dismissed the prosecution’s ambition for a six-year prison sentence and civil penalties amounting to over one million euros. Salvini hailed the verdict as validation of his duty to defend Italy against mass immigration, asserting that such actions are not criminal but mandatory. His acquittal has resonated across European political circles, drawing public endorsement from international allies like Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who supported the ruling.
In response to the court’s decision, Open Arms Founder Oscar Camps remarked that Salvini remains “acquitted from justice, but not from history.” A potential appeal is under consideration, contingent on the forthcoming announcement of the court’s reasoning. Open Arms, maintaining its stance for legal recompense, asserted on social media that those detained aboard the vessel in 2019 await justice.
For a comprehensive view of the case and the surrounding context, see the full coverage by JURIST.