Italy’s Salvini Cleared of Kidnapping Charges in Migrant Case

In a surprising turn of events, an Italian court declared Matteo Salvini, the current Deputy Prime Minister, not guilty in a case involving the prevention of a migrant vessel, the Open Arms, from docking in Sicily back in 2019. The court’s ruling stated that there was no evidence to support the charges. At the time, Salvini was serving as the Interior Minister and prohibited the boat from docking, leaving 147 asylum seekers stranded at sea for almost three weeks. This high-profile case gained international attention, particularly when actor Richard Gere delivered supplies to the stranded vessel. The court’s decision was met with satisfaction from Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, who stated that the accusations against Salvini were unfounded. This verdict comes amidst ongoing discussions about sending migrants to Albania for processing, a plan that has been halted by the judiciary.