SIENA. The jurist Francesco Francioni, long professor of international law at the University of Siena, then professor at the European University Institute in Florence and then at Luiss in Rome, has died in Siena at the age of 82. The announcement of his passing was made by his wife Susan L. Fisher and his children Bianca and Cino. The funeral funeral will be held privately on Monday.
Francioni is the author of numerous studies on the role of international law in the protection of cultural heritage, on the extraterritorial application of national legislation regarding the conservation of marine resources, on extradition procedures and on international sanctions.
Cordoglio was expressed by the University of Siena: the professor emeritus had held numerous academic positions, including the position of pro-rector from 1994 to 2003 and delegate for International Relations. The rector Roberto Di Pietra. The University «participates, on his personal behalf and on behalf of the academic community, in the mourning for the serious loss and remembers his skills as an innovative teacher and scholar, the international dimension and the great prestige given by his teachings at the University of Siena».
Francioni successfully participated in the resolution of the case of Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, the two marines involved in the accident which occurred on 15 February 2012 off the coast of Kerala which cost the lives of two Indian fishermen and for which the two Italian soldiers they were incarcerated in India.
The international law expert was appointed by the Italian government first as judge of the Sea Tribunal in Hamburg, then designated judge at the Arbitration Tribunal in The Hague for the trial of the two marines. According to the statute of the Court, a country involved in a dispute can appoint an ad hoc judge of its own nationality, if there is not already one among the members of the Court. It was Francioni, with the Arbitration Court’s verdict of 3 yes and two no, who decided that it was up to Italy to try the two soldiers. The legal case ended only in 2022.