During the defense Of Matteo Salvini in the trial for kidnapping linked to the ship Open Armsthe lawyer Giulia Good morning argued that the minister did not violate the law, citing that the vessel was not in “distress” when the first landing occurred. Bongiorno accused the NGO of having repeatedly refused opportunities to disembark migrants in other countries, and claimed that Open Arms’ actions were aimed at forcing the hand of the Italian government.
Open Arms Trial, Matteo Salvini‘s defense
Giulia Good morning he opened his defense speech for Matteo Salviniaccused in the trial Open Arms of kidnapping and refusal of official acts, stating that it is essential to “distinguish between rights and claims”.
During the trial, which is concluding after three years, Salvini is accused of holding back 147 migrants of the NGO in 2019, signing a decree banning entry into Italian waters.
Photo source: ANSA
Giulia Bongiorno and Matteo Salvini
Although the Tar had declared this ban illegitimate, the minister had not granted the “place of safety” for safe disembarkation. The defense emphasized the conduct of Open Arms, trying to overturn the accusations against Salvini, focusing on the behavior of the NGO.
Giulia Bongiorno: “Open Arms was not in distress”
Giulia Good morning claimed that the Open Arms vessel was not in “distress” during the first landing, highlighting that it was sailing at 8 knots and had “good buoyancy”. To the contrary, an expert for the prosecution confirmed that the vessel was in distress.
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Actually the same decree signed by Salvini on 1 August 2019 recognized the “distress”, since the ship had recovered migrants from a vessel in difficulty.
The alleged opposition to the landing
The ship would have had “countless, countless, countless possibilities to disembark the migrants but was met with countless, countless, countless refusals”, he claimed Good morning in the speech.
“We had objected to the TAR and we were awaiting the decision of the judges who, in fact, agreed with us” he replied Arturo Salernolawyer of the NGO. The refusals, according to the accusation, would have concerned the disembarkation in Malta of only 39 migrants, as granted by Valletta, therefore due to the need not to compromise the situation with the over 100 who would have remained on board.
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Matteo Salvini’s defense also contested the Open Arms’ refusal to head towards the Spainwhich had offered two “places of safety” (Pos). Oscar Camps, captain of the ship, explained that it was not possible to sail for two days with such a large number of people, given that the vessel could only temporarily accommodate them.
The accusation of “forcing” Open Arms
Giulia Bongiorno claimed that Open Arms had tried to “force the hand” of the Italian government, claiming that the rescue of the migrants had occurred casually and without a pre-existing agreement.
Bongiorno also contextualised Salvini’s actions in 2019, highlighting the ongoing political transition and citing a letter from Giuseppe Contewhich suggested a strategy shared by the government to manage the rescues while awaiting an agreement on the redistribution of migrants in Europe.
Photo source: ANSA
