BRUSSELS. Antonio Panzeri crossed the door of the Saint-Gilles prison this morning to go to the house arrest. The former MEP of the Socialist-Democratic group, considered at the center of the alleged network of international corruption that ended up in the crosshairs of the Belgian “Qatargate” investigation, obtained last week the possibility of continuing preventive detention at home with the measure of the electronic bracelet .
Physically exhausted and emaciated, the founder of the NGO “Fight Impunity” came out of the prison on the outskirts of Brussels with a bag and a blue bag containing his clothes and personal effects, as shown by the photos taken by the France Presse agency. He has returned to his apartment in Brussels, where he will have an obligation to stay and where he will be monitored through the surveillance system.
Qatargate, Eva returns home
MARCO BRESOLIN
In prison since last December 9, Panzeri admitted his responsibilities and in January he asked for and obtained the status of “repentant”: in exchange for maximum collaboration with the investigators, he will obtain a reduction in his sentence which will allow him to serve only one year in prison ( eight months in addition to the four already spent in prison). His statements led to the arrest of MEPs Marc Tarabella and Andrea Cozzolino, who however reject any accusation. The former returned home today, while the latter is in Italy and an extradition request is pending.