Matteo Salvini appears in court in Italy over Open Arms migrant case

This article was originally published in Italian

The Open Arms trial in which the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini is accused of kidnapping and refusal to perform an act of office resumed in Palermo on Friday. 

In August 2019, as interior minister, Salvini blocked the landing of 147 migrants from the Spanish NGO Open Arms’s ship in Lampedusa. 

Salvini: ‘Proud of what I did’

In a post published on social media, in which he is seen entering the Ucciardone bunker courtroom, Salvini returns to the argument that he defended the security and borders of his country.

 “Ready to speak in the bunker courtroom at the trial that sees me risk 15 years in prison for having, as Minister of the Interior, defended the security and borders of my country. With my head held high, proud of what I have done,” Salvini said.

Oscar Camps: ‘Salvini is accountable for his actions’

Open Arms founder Oscar Camps is critical. 

“Is it decent for a minister of a democratic republic to force 160 vulnerable people, including women and children, to wait 19 days before they can receive the necessary treatment at the nearest port of disembarkation? We think not. See you tomorrow in court!” he wrote yesterday, Thursday 11 January, on X. 

This morning in front of the court he made a comment to the reporters present. ”I expect justice to be done and for him to answer for the consequences of his actions,” Camps said.

Salvini will have to answer charges of kidnapping and refusing to carry out official acts that were his responsibility.

Speaking to journalists on Friday morning, he said that during his time as interior minister “disembarkments have fallen by 90 per cent” and that the government’s aim was to “combat human trafficking”.

But political opponents say the Lega leader was adopting an anti-immigration stance simply to gain more votes.