Sun Sep 15 10:45:28 UTC 2024: ## Italian Prosecutor Seeks Six-Year Jail Sentence for Deputy PM Salvini Over Migrant Ship Blockade

**Palermo, Italy** – Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini faces six years in prison after prosecutors accused him of kidnapping and refusing official documents in connection with his decision to block a migrant rescue ship from disembarking in Italy in 2019. Prosecutor Geri Ferrara argued that Salvini’s actions, taken while serving as Interior Minister, violated international and European regulations regarding the rescue and disembarkation of migrants at sea.

Ferrara asserted that the rescue operation does not end with the initial intervention but includes the disembarkation phase, which requires states to adhere to European immigration regulations. He emphasized the need to save all individuals at sea, regardless of their status.

Salvini’s defense attorney, Giulia Bongiorno, countered that the trial is politically motivated and that prosecuting Salvini for a policy adopted by the entire government is “contradictory.”

The prosecution has sparked widespread condemnation, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose coalition government includes Salvini’s League party, expressing solidarity with her deputy. She described the trial as a “serious precedent” that criminalizes the duty to protect Italy’s borders.

International figures have also expressed support for Salvini, with French National Rally leader Marine Le Pen and Dutch politician Geert Wilders condemning the prosecution. Salvini himself maintains that he acted in accordance with his government’s promises to voters, stating that he would “do everything again” in defense of the country’s borders.

The Italian government has repeatedly accused open-border NGOs of facilitating people smuggling and encouraging illegal migration. A 2022 report by the Italian Department of Security Intelligence (DIS) found that NGO rescue ships may unintentionally contribute to migrant deaths at sea, as traffickers intentionally provide migrants with limited fuel, knowing they will be rescued before reaching Italy.

Salvini’s policy of blocking NGO ships during his tenure as interior minister coincided with a decrease in migrant drownings. However, following his departure from government in 2019, illegal migration into Italy surged. This trend was reversed this year by the current coalition government, which has successfully reduced illegal entries by over 60%.

The trial is expected to continue in the coming weeks, with significant implications for Italy’s immigration policy and the future of Salvini’s political career.

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