Archive · 17 Dec 2025
Italy's Supreme Court Upholds Salvini's Acquittal in Migrant Case
Italy's highest court has decided that Matteo Salvini, a top government leader, did not do anything wrong when he stopped a boat with over 100 migrants from coming to Italy in 2019.
Some people, like a charity called Open Arms, think this is unfair because they believe Salvini should have let the migrants land.
But the court said that Salvini was just doing his job to protect Italy's borders.
The prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, agrees with the court's decision and says that protecting borders is not a crime.
Salvini and his lawyer are happy with the court's decision and say the trial should never have happened.
Italy's Supreme Court upheld Matteo Salvini's acquittal in a migrant kidnapping case.
Salvini, as interior minister in 2019, ordered a boat with over 100 migrants to be kept at sea for nearly three weeks.
Prosecutors argued this action amounted to kidnapping, but the court ruled it was not a crime.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni supported the decision, stating that defending borders is not a crime.
Open Arms, the charity operating the boat, condemned the decision, calling it a political move.
- Who
- Matteo Salvini, Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister of Italy
- What
- Italy's Supreme Court upheld Salvini's acquittal in a migrant kidnapping case
- When
- December 17, 2024
- Where
- Italy
- Why
- Salvini was charged for ordering a boat with over 100 migrants to be kept at sea for nearly three weeks in 2019, which prosecutors claimed was kidnapping
- Person Involved
- Matteo Salvini
- Position
- Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister
- Party Affiliation
- League Party
- Case Details
- Acquittal upheld in migrant kidnapping case
- Year of Incident
- 2019
- Number of Migrants
- Over 100
- Charity Involved
- Open Arms
- Prime Minister's Statement
- Defending borders is not a crime