London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 14, 2025

‘Kidnaping’ trial of ex-Italian interior minister Salvini, who barred cross-sea migrants from entering country, begins in Palermo

‘Kidnaping’ trial of ex-Italian interior minister Salvini, who barred cross-sea migrants from entering country, begins in Palermo

Former Italian interior minister Matteo Salvini is facing up to 15 years in prison in a controversial trial over his 2019 order to prevent migrants picked up by NGOs while crossing the Mediterranean Sea from entering Italy. 

The trial, which started on Saturday in Palermo, is about one particular incident among dozens that happened during Salvini’s tenure as interior minister. It concerns his refusal to allow 147 migrants to disembark in Lampedusa in August 2019. The stand-off lasted for about 19 days before a court overruled a ban on private rescue ships entering Italian waters.

Salvini is the leader of the right-wing, anti-immigration Lega Nord (North League) party. He held the offices of deputy prime minister and interior minister in an unorthodox coalition government with the left-wing Five Star Movement (M5S) at the time his alleged crimes occurred. He is accused of abusing his power and kidnapping the migrants and may face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

The trial was initially scheduled for September 15, but was postponed for over a month so that a larger courtroom could be found to accommodate more people interested in the procedures, including journalists.

A defiant Salvini tweeted a photo from the scene, saying his prosecution was “required by the left and the fans of illegal immigration”. Ahead of the hearing, he said illegal migrants were arriving in Italy by their hundreds under the current government and that he was simply doing his duty as interior minister when he attempted to stop the inflow.


Salvini said the policy to block migrants was approved by the entire cabinet, including the then-prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, who is now the leader of M5S. Conte, Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese and Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio are scheduled to appear as witnesses during the trial.

Actor Richard Gere, who helped deliver food to people on board the stranded ship, which was operated by the Spanish NGO Open Arms, previously agreed to testify as well. It’s unclear if he will take the stand in Palermo.

Outside the courtroom, Open Arms founder and director Oscar Camps defended his operation. “Saving people isn’t a crime, but an obligation not only by captains but by the entire state,” he told journalists.

Opponents of such rescue missions say people who sail towards European shores in boats and rafts are economic migrants rather than political refugees who need protection. Many suspect NGOs like Open Arms of facilitating the flow, if not directly colluding with human traffickers in countries like Libya, who organize the rides for profit.

Many of Salvini’s supporters believe his trial to be politically motivated. The Italian parliament lifted his immunity from prosecution in February 2020, long after the Lega-M5S government collapsed. Lega Nord was in opposition to the second Conte government, which was in power at the time. Senators from Salvini’s party boycotted the vote.

In May, a court in Sicily dismissed a similar “kidnapping” case against the former interior minister, which stemmed from a separate episode. The case involved a coast guard ship carrying migrants that was kept from docking in the port of Catania for six days in July 2019.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
×