Ilaria Salis remains in cell: the Budapest court rejected the request to be placed under house arrest in Hungary presented by the lawyers of the thirty-nine year old who has been in prison for 13 months on charges of attacking two far-right exponents.
“The circumstances have not changed,” Judge Jozsef Sós said, adding that “there is always the danger of flight.” Roberto Salis, Ilaria’s father, left the courtroom. immediately after the judge announced his decision.
The decision to reject house arrest for Ilaria Salis was “yet another show of strength by the Orban government”, commented Roberto Salis, the woman’s father. “I was expecting it a little,” he added, “Ilaria is considered a great danger here.” “Our ministers did not make a good impression and the Italian government should examine its conscience,” added Ilaria’s father. “The chains do not depend on the judge but on the prison and therefore executive system and the Italian government can and must do something to ensure that my daughter is not treated like a dog” he added.
Ilaria Salis was brought to court with handcuffs on her wrists, shackles and chains on her ankles and a chain pulled by an officer like a leash exactly as happened in the hearing on January 29th. This is how the 39-year-old Milanese teacher ended up in prison in Budapest for 13 months on charges of attacking three far-right militants.
Video Salis in the courtroom still with handcuffs and chains
The next hearing has been set for May 24.
In a handwritten letter, Ilaria Salis authorizes the Italian press to publish photos depicting her in handcuffs.
“Shut up or I’ll break your head”: this is what a group of a few right-wing extremists said to the group made up of Ilaria Salis’s lawyers and friends upon their arrival at the court. “They were waiting for us and insulted and threatened us in Hungarian,” said lawyer Eugenio Losco.
“They filmed us with their cell phones, they filmed us and our translator told us that they were threatening us,” Losco continued. Zerocalcare was also part of the group of about fifteen threatened Italian people, as well as representatives of Democratic Jurists.
Schlein: “Inadmissible slap, Meloni react immediately”
“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.
Tajani: “There is no danger of escape, it’s not a good way”
“I hope that Mrs. Salis can be acquitted, I saw that today she was brought to the courtroom still in handcuffs and chains but it seems that they were then removed from her. It’s not a good way, I don’t think there is any danger of escape. Having said that I would avoid politicizing the case otherwise there would be a risk of conflict.” Thus the deputy prime minister and foreign minister Antonio Tajani.
ANSA Agency Tajani: “Salis as a candidate? Politicizing the case doesn’t help” – News – Ansa.it The minister: ‘Today new handcuffs were then removed, it’s not a good way’ (ANSA)Zaki: ‘The images of Ilaria Salis in chains are unacceptable’
“We cannot accept those videos and images coming from Budapest of Ilaria with chains and leashes. She is a human being.” Egyptian human rights activist Patrick Zaki writes this, sharing on Instagram the images of Ilaria Salis taken to court in Budapest, tied hand and foot. “There is no human being who should be treated this way. Waiting for the court’s decision,” adds Zaki.
Scalfarotto (Iv), for Salis a degrading treatment
“And nothing, Ilaria Salis is still on a leash”. Ivan Scalfarotto, group leader of Italia Viva in the Justice Commission writes this on could hurt a fly or escape in any way from this courtroom in Budapest: we ourselves can barely move, given the crowd that is packed in here. If the accused is attached to a leash it is only to exercise a harassment, to impose coercive power on her in an unnecessary and redundant manner. This is completely the opposite of the rule of law and – he concludes – in our European Union none of this should ever happen”.
Renzi: “It is unacceptable that Salis is treated that way”
“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. Thanks to @ivanscalfarotto for being in that courtroom today to say which side we are on, as already we did at Leopolda. President Meloni, make yourself heard. Do the Brothers of Italy or the subjects of Hungary govern us?”. IV leader Matteo Renzi writes it on X.
Serracchiani: “Orban’s display of arrogance”
“The treatment reserved for Ilaria Salis is a display of arrogance that Orban directs at our country and at all the systems that respect people’s rights. This is not an episode of Italian internal politics and no one has an interest in exploiting the situation of a fellow citizen treated unworthily, the issue is one of relations between states and Prime Minister Meloni should reject this real provocation, this insult that comes from Budapest directly to Rome”. Thus Debora Serracchiani, head of Justice of the Democratic Party.
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