- Italy Deputy PM faces possible 6-year jail term for migrant boat blocking
- The boat operated by a charity was stranded at sea for nearly 3 weeks
- Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini faces charges of kidnap and dereliction of duty
Italy Deputy PM Faces Possible 6-Year Jail Term For Migrant Boat Blocking
Prosecutors in Italy are pushing for a six-year prison sentence for Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini over his decision in August 2019 to block a migrant boat from docking.
The boat, operated by the Open Arms charity, was stranded at sea for nearly three weeks before a court ordered it to dock on the island of Lampedusa. Salvini, who was Italy’s interior minister at the time, faces charges of kidnap and dereliction of duty, which he denies.
Salvini defended his actions, saying he aimed to prevent Italy from becoming “a refugee camp for all of Europe” and described himself as “guilty of defending Italy and Italians.”
The Open Arms vessel was carrying 147 migrants rescued off the Libyan coast when it was barred from entering Lampedusa. The island, located in the Mediterranean between Libya and the Italian mainland, has become a frequent landing point for migrants attempting to reach Europe.
As interior minister, Salvini enforced a “closed ports” policy, arguing it would deter human traffickers. However, crewmembers testified during the trial that conditions on board the ship worsened during the standoff, with a scabies outbreak among the migrants.