‘He defamed Meloni’, the philologist Canfora sent to trial – News

Judge Antonietta Guerra sent the philologist and historian to trial Luciano Canfora, accused of aggravated defamation against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The facts date back to 11 April 2022, when Meloni was an opposition parliamentarian and the Prime Minister in office was Mario Draghi. Canfora, invited to speak at the ‘Enrico Fermi’ scientific high school in Bari as part of a meeting on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, defined Meloni as a “neo-Nazi at heart”, “a poor thing”, “treated like a very dangerous lunatic”. The trial will begin on October 7 before single judge Pasquale Santoro.

“An in-depth evidential integration is necessary which is not compatible with the structure of the pre-trial hearing”, reported Canfora’s lawyer, Michele Laforgia, reporting to reporters the text of the provision ordering the judgment signed by the pre-trial judge.

“The prime minister will certainly be called to testify in court.” Michele Laforgia, lawyer of the historian and philologist Luciano Canfora, said this at the end of the hearing in which his client was sent to trial for aggravated defamation against the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni. The trial will begin on October 7 before single judge Pasquale Santoro.

“In our defense it was explicit that, if we had to delve into the topic of ‘neo-Nazism in the soul’ on the merits, it would have been necessary to hear the person offended by the crime”, he added, “and perhaps acquire an important mass of biographical, bibliographical, autobiographical” which “must be acquired during the trial, in the cross-examination between the parties”. “I remain convinced – added Laforgia – that a trial for a political judgment for defamation cannot be held and should not be held, and that it is very inappropriate to do so when there is state power on the other side, because the Prime Minister it is the power of the state.”

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni asked for a compensation for damages of 20 thousand euros to the historian and philologist Luciano Canfora. The request is contained in the document with which Meloni, defended by the lawyer Luca Libra, became a civil party in the trial for which the pre-trial hearing took place this morning. The Bari Prosecutor’s Office has asked for Canfora to be sent to trial, while his defender (lawyer Michele Laforgia) has asked for him to be acquitted.

Canfora, we read in the lawyer Libra’s document, “has, without any justification, damaged the honour, decorum and reputation of the offended person”, i.e. Prime Minister Meloni (at the time of the disputed facts an opposition parliamentarian) , “attacking, even more, his image, as a person and political figure, with gratuitous and unprecedented vulgarity, using vulgar epithets – unpredictable and extemporaneous – which have seriously undermined the intimate and private sphere, as well as the moral and personal heritage of the offended person himself “.

“The dynamics of the events that occurred – we read again – have had profound consequences on the psyche and on the personal and professional image of the civil party, taking into account the unjust violation of the inviolable right inherent to one’s dignity, image and reputation”. “The request for compensation – concludes the lawyer – is motivated, first of all, by the psychophysical damage suffered and, above all, by the damage to the reputation, honor and image” of Meloni. The facts date back to 11 April 2022, when Canfora, invited to speak at the Enrico Fermi scientific high school in Bari as part of a meeting on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, defined Meloni as “neo-Nazi in her soul”, “a poor thing”, “treated like a very dangerous idiot.” The Court’s decision is expected at 2.20pm today.

Reproduction reserved © Copyright ANSA