Case against Matteo Salvini for kidnapping immigrants begins | Actor Richard Carey testifies in Palermo, Italy

From Rome

Famous American actor Richard Carey, “Beautiful Girl” and “Can We Dance?” In several films, he was accepted as a witness in the process that began Saturday morning in Sicily against Matteo Salvini, the former interior minister and leader of the anti-immigration and right-wing league, as officially announced by the president. Prior to that, the Criminal Division was investigating Roberto Murcia. Salvini, who appeared in the first trial, was charged in August 2019 with landing 147 migrants in a difficult situation, rescuing them in the Mediterranean by ship, abducting people for nearly seven days and neglecting duty. Open Arms, a Spanish humanitarian organization.

During the trial, which took place in the bunker classroom of the Bagliarelli prison in Palermo (the capital of Sicily), the prosecution initially opposed the presence of Kerein, fearing that the investigation would turn into a scenario. But Open Arms’ defense said “Kere was on board on August 9, 2019, and can tell us how the situation was on board”. Kerr went as far as the Open Arms, which carries food for immigrants.

The ship was anchored in the Mediterranean for almost a week, when many of the settlers became ill and psychologically disturbed, including children and women. The next hearing is set for December 17.

Salvini’s reaction

Salvini responded immediately (Photo). “As witnesses accusing me of being a racist and oppressor, I tried to arrest the kidnappers (humans) so I knew the process they were doing to me in Palermo was Richard Carey. I thought he was an actor. I told my lawyer that I should.

Salvini, who was home minister at the time of the incident, stressed that “it is not the minister’s right but his duty to prevent secret immigration.” When I looked at Kerry, he laughed, “At least I ask my son to autograph me to bring it.”

Upon learning that Corey’s testimony was accepted by the prosecution, Salvini added: “Could such a process be serious?” “How serious is the process by which Richard Zer comes in to testify from Hollywood about my misconduct?” As he left the interrogation room, he told reporters: “I hope this process will last as short as possible because there are other important things to note. For money.

The trial, dedicated to the confession of witnesses and documents, was accepted by former Prime Minister and representative of the five-star movement Giuseppe Conte and current Interior Minister Louisiana Lamorges. He continued in office on September 5, 2019 in the government of the current Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

Protected by Giulia Pongiarno, the Sicilian lawyer for the Salvini League, she has been a senator since 2018 and was Minister of Public Administration during the first Conte government.

There are no “safe ports”

In the summer of 2019 (Europe), then-Interior Minister Salvini erected a “wall” of barriers in the Mediterranean to prevent ships from anchoring Italian ports and rescuing migrants at sea. Instead EU-sponsored ships were in trouble. According to former Prime Minister Conte, it is the full responsibility of the Interior Minister to provide or not provide a secure port, i.e. Salvini.

The situation that year was dramatic. Many boats carrying migrants departed from ports in Libya (one of the North African countries closest to Italy), where there was a liquid market for human traffickers. Many of the immigrants came from sub-Saharan countries, who crossed the Sahara in dire circumstances, but paid the smugglers, and were held in real Libyan prisons (women were prostitutes) for months and sometimes years until they were paid. The hijackers were again sent by dozens in small boats, which sank. The kidnappers often intimidate the families of young immigrants, calling them on the phone asking for more money, otherwise they will kill their son because many who were able to reach Europe said so.

The week of immigrants being locked up in open arms without being able to disembark ended with the decision of the city of Aguirre (Sicily) prosecutor, which expelled everyone and described Salvini’s decision as a “bad truth.” The abuse of power was committed by a public official. In August 2019 alone, Open Arms rescued 55 people in Libyan territorial waters and shortly afterwards another 69 in waters near the island of Malta, with the exception of 147 who provoked the case against Salvini. And Open Arms and other NGOs dedicated to rescue (such as marine surveillance and Ocean Viking), have never been assigned a “safe harbor” to land.

It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post. But his defense is playing with a card in his favor: a sentence handed down by judges in Catania (Sicily) last May, freed Salvini in a similar case, was rescued by the Gregoretti Guard ship to 131 migrants who besieged the port of Augusta in July 2019.