Ilaria Salis remains in prison: in Budapest the judge rejected the request to obtain house arrest in today’s hearing, 28 March. The 39-year-old teacher from Monza, detained in the Hungarian prison and accused of alleged violence committed during a neo-Nazi demonstration in the Hungarian capital on 11 February 2023, she entered the courtroom today again in chains. There are many videos showing images of the woman with shackles on her feet and chains on her wrists.
For the Italian defenders, the lawyers Mauro Straini and Eugenio Losco (present in the courtroom), it is “a measure that is disproportionate to the evidence, detrimental to human dignity and the presumption of innocence” they comment to Adnkronos.
Salis’ defense challenged the court order. “In Hungary it works that immediately after the reading of the provision in the courtroom, the defense must declare whether it is challenging it or not and the Hungarian lawyer has done so, the challenge has already been formally presented” as the lawyer Eugenio Losco explains. The next hearing is scheduled for May 24, “but at the moment there is not much hope that this measure can be changed, given the attitude of the court. There is a more than real risk that a sentence of first degree with Ilaria still detained” concludes the lawyer.
What the Hungarian press says
A court in Budapest has “rejected Ilaria Salis’ request” for house arrest because “it deems the maintenance of precautionary custody justified”. This is what the Hungarian newspaper Magyar Nemzet reports, announcing that the new hearing will be held on May 24th. The newspaper adds that according to the judge’s reasoning “13 months of detention cannot be said to be excessive” in the case of a crime of this gravity.
The judge also stated that “in the last two months his personal conditions in prison have improved”, the conservative newspaper reports. The 39-year-old Italian was arrested in February 2023 on charges of alleged violence committed during a neo-Nazi demonstration in Budapest.
The words of the father
“The In my opinion, the Italian government should examine its conscience“, said Roberto Salis, Ilaria’s father, after his daughter was denied house arrest and adding that our “ministers did not make us look good”.
Regarding the fact that Ilaria was again seen in the courtroom with handcuffs, the father recalled that “the chains do not depend on the judge, they are a decision of the Hungarian government, they depend on the prison institutions, for them it is right, in defiance of the European decision , they must show strength that they don’t care about European rules and the rule of law.”
“Today we had two important violations, Ilaria is brought back to court with chains and then they refused house arrest even though we had done everything they asked us to do. ” said Roberto Salis in connection with Piazza Pulita. “It is useless to discuss the motivations of a country in which the laws of law are completely trampled upon; the reason for the denial was already ready, even before the lawyer made his speech, the judge had already written everything.” “I no longer know how to appeal to the Italian government – he says – we did everything they told us to do, we made some requests and they told us that they couldn’t be done; I believe that at this point I will have to make a call to the Quirinale, I will address the President of the Republic“.
Tajani: “Political clash does not favor Salis, invitation not to politicise”
“I hope that Ilaria Salis can be acquitted… today she was in the courtroom again in handcuffs and chains, certainly not a good way given that there is no danger of escape, but I would hesitate to politicise”, he commented to ‘Start’ Sky Tg24 the deputy prime minister and foreign minister Antonio Tajani. “I am worried about the citizen Salis, I don’t care what party she is from – he added – As a minister, I hope that the rules are respected during detention. But the political conflict does not favor Mrs. Salis”.
Schlein: “Slap inadmissible.” The reactions of politicians
“Ilaria Salis will remain in prison in Budapest. After being brought to the Chamber once again with chains on her wrists, ankles and a leash, today the Hungarian judges also decided to deny her house arrest. An inadmissible slap in the face of the rights of a detained person, of one of our compatriots. We expect Giorgia Meloni’s government to react immediately.” This was stated by the secretary of the Democratic Party Elly Schlein.
Several Italian political leaders in Budapest
Several Italian political leaders went to Budapest to follow the hearing. In addition to Ivan Scalfarotto, in the courtroom Nicola Fratoianni and Ilaria Cucchi of the Green Left Alliance, Laura Boldrini and Sandra Zampa (Pd), Stefania Ascari (M5S).
“It is not acceptable that an Italian citizen is treated like this in Hungary. Giorgia Meloni must be truly a patriot and explain to Viktor Orban that either Hungary respects the rules of the rule of law or none of the Italian tax euros must end up in Budapest as instead happens today. The fact that Meloni has different ideas from Ilaria Salis is irrelevant: the Italian Government must work for Italian citizens. Thank you Ivan Scalfarotto for being in that courtroom today to say which side we are on, as we already had done to Leopolda. President Meloni, make yourself heard. Do the Brothers of Italy or the subjects of Hungary govern us?”, the words of Matteo Renzi on X.
