Italian far-left activist Ilaria Salis, under trial and threatened with prison in Hungary on suspicion of having attacked suspected neo-Nazis, will soon be free thanks to the immunity obtained by being elected MEP, her lawyer said on Monday. Ilaria Salis, who spent long months in detention and appeared at her trial in Budapest under humiliating conditions, has been under house arrest with an electronic bracelet. She garnered more than 160,000 votes in the European elections in Italy and will now sit in the European Parliament.
The 39-year-old teacher's case has aroused significant emotion in Italy. Salis ran as a candidate for the small party Alleanza Verdi e Sinistra (AVS, Alliance of Greens and the Left), which received nearly 6.7% of the votes. Her election allows her to request immunity, a request that could be processed before July 16, her lawyer told the Rome daily Il Messaggero.
The leader of the Italian left, Nicola Fratoianni, declared that Ilaria Salis is now a Member of the European Parliament. Green Europe spokesperson Angelo Bonelli emphasized that the battle for democracy would only intensify. Once officially recognized as a deputy, Salis' lawyer, Eugenio Losco, announced plans to ask Hungarian judges for her release based on her right to parliamentary immunity. European legislation indeed provides for exemption from any form of detention and suspension of criminal proceedings for parliamentarians.
Fratoianni highlighted that Ilaria Salis has become a symbol of two Europes – one under the influence of Hungarian nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who allegedly undermines democracy, and another where rights are fully respected. Salis' plight has drawn attention to these contrasting visions of the continent.
According to the right-wing daily Il Giornale, Ilaria Salis is moving from Budapest to a headquarters in Strasbourg. She had been in prison for over a year and was granted house arrest only in May following a court of appeal decision. Hungarian prosecutors accuse her of traveling to Budapest specifically to commit acts of violence against a neo-Nazi rally.
- The case of Ilaria Salis has generated widespread discussions and debates across Europe, particularly concerning the limits of parliamentary immunity and its implications for cross-border legal conflicts. Legal experts suggest that Salis' situation could potentially become a landmark case in defining the extent to which European legislative protections can shield individuals from charges in member states.
- Supporters of Ilaria Salis argue that her actions were a form of protest against hate speech and extremist ideologies, raising questions about the criminalization of activism. Critics argue that the use of violence, irrespective of the cause, cannot be justified and that Salis should face legal consequences. This dichotomy highlights the ongoing tension in Europe between safeguarding freedom of expression and maintaining public order.
- The European Parliament's decision regarding Salis' immunity will be closely watched, as it may set a precedent for future cases involving elected officials facing legal challenges in countries other than their own. The outcome will likely influence both political strategy and judicial proceedings across the EU.
