The conditions of detention of Ilaria Salis, the 39-year-old Italian in prison in Budapest accused of attacking two right-wing extremists, shown at trial in chains, become a case.
“Our law prohibits the display of the prisoner with handcuffs and in conditions of humiliation, while this did not happen in Hungary. I think it is right to intervene on this.” Thus the President of the Senate, Ignazio La Russa, speaking about the detention in Hungary of Ilaria Salis, guest of ‘Avanti Popolo’ broadcast on Rai3. And he reiterated the need “not to humiliate the prisoner, to have respect for the dignity of the person even when they are detained for serious crimes”.
In view of the extraordinary EU Council on February 1st, according to what we learn, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had a telephone conversation with Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban. The Prime Minister also, in full respect of the independence and autonomy of the Hungarian judiciary, brought Prime Minister Orban’s attention to the case of our compatriot Ilaria Salis, following the diplomatic initiatives already launched starting from 22 January Vice-President of the Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto.
The Farnesina is asking Hungary for alternative measures to prison detention. The Hungarian Penitentiary Service speaks of “falsehoods” about detention conditions. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani reports that he only learned yesterday about the hand and foot handcuffs and specifies: “Orban has nothing to do with it. It’s not that the government decides the trial. The judiciary is independent.” Minister Lollobrigida claims not to have seen the photos of the handcuffed woman: “I’m going to see them. I don’t comment on things I haven’t seen.” All the oppositions asked for information from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
“On February 2nd I will see Ilaria Salis’ father, I couldn’t see him before because he was leaving for Hungary”, the president of the Senate said in the Chamber, Ignazio La Russa. “The dignity of prisoners”, said La Russa, is a problem that “must be close to the hearts of everyone in Hungary but also in every other part of the world, including Italy where I have news of a not very dissimilar situation, at least for the men” and not for women “with a leash but not handcuffs on their feet”. That of Ilaria Salis “seems to me to be an excessive accusation”, she added. “I hope that she can be acquitted or the accusation dismissed”.
The Hungarian Penitentiary Service: “False about Salis’ conditions”. “The accusations made by the Italian and Hungarian media” on the conditions of Ilaria Salis’ detention “are false and the prison organization forcefully rejects them”, we read in a note from the Hungarian state penitentiary service which brands the fact as “sad and immoral that these slanders are reported by the press without consulting the other party.” The note cites the accusations of Carmen Giorgio, Salis’ former cellmate, who spoke of beds full of bedbugs, mice, mistreatment and the use of chains by the Budapest prison service.
For further information Agenzia ANSA Strasbourg censured Hungary in 2018 for handcuffing prisoners – News – Ansa.it The Anti-torture Committee asked to avoid public exposure (ANSA)
“A wave is growing to try to discredit my daughter’s actions.” Roberto Salis, Ilaria’s father, speaks thus to Repubblica’s ‘Metropolis’ podcast. “Photos are circulating of a crime committed in Hungary for which my daughter is not accused” he added, underlining that now “the most important thing of all is to identify what the plan is to get her under house arrest in Italy and to remove her from a situation unsustainable to then carry out the process in humane conditions”. “I believe that the Italian Embassy participated in at least four hearings in which my daughter was brought before the judge in these conditions. Until October 12, when my daughter wrote a letter, we had no evidence of the treatment that our daughter was undergoing. daughter. The only ones who knew and didn’t say anything are the people from the Italian Embassy in Hungary”, said Roberto Salis.
Video Ilaria Salis, Tajani: ‘The competence is Hungarian, we cannot do more”
In Italy the Prisoners’ Guarantor has taken actionin contact with the equivalent mechanisms in Hungary and with the EU, for preventive intervention on the protection of the prisoner, so that all inhuman and degrading measures, such as chains on the wrists and feet, are eliminated.
For further information Agenzia ANSA From the hostess to the girl without a veil, the cases of Italians in prison – News – Ansa.it The story of Ilaria Salis, the 39-year-old Milanese in prison in Budapest accused of attacking two right-wing extremists in the Hungarian capital, it is not the only recent case of Italians detained in prison, some of whom were released after several months… (ANSA)
Contacts between Italy and Hungary
On instructions from the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajanithe secretary general of the Farnesina, Ambassador Riccardo Guariglia, summoned the Chargé d’Affaires of the Republic of Hungary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “In reiterating the protest of the Italian Government for the conditions” in which Ilaria Salis is detained and is being held in the hearings, Guariglia “expressed the Government’s firm expectation” that Salis be granted “as soon as possible precautionary detention regime in line with European legislation, including alternative measures to prison detention“.
Meanwhile, Hungarian diplomatic sources interviewed by ANSA respond: “We won’t comment, these are delicate issues”. Budapest has also not confirmed that there is a bilateral meeting planned between Meloni and the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orban on the sidelines of the summit of the 27 on Thursday in Brussels.
For further information Agenzia ANSA The case of Gabriele Marchesi, ‘Budapest is silent on the conditions of prisons’ – News – Ansa.it Pg on the co-suspect under house arrest in Italy: “He should not be handed over” (ANSA)
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