Lawyers representing Ilaria Salis, the39-year-old Monza elementary school teacher and antifascistmilitant facing up to 24 years in Budapest for allegedly attacking two neo Nazis last February, must first request housearrest for her in Hungary before she can possibly be moved to house arrest in Italy, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani repeated on Saturday.
"Ilaria Salis' lawyers must ask for house arrest in Hungary, arequest they have not made so far. This does not depend on us," said Tajani the sidelines of a Forza Italia event in Milan.
"First house arrest must be obtained in Hungary - and this is the fundamental point - after which it must be requested in Italy. Only once house arrest has been granted, on the request from the lawyer, can we ask for house arrest in Italy," he continued, adding that Italy is "ready to do whatever is needed".
Last Monday images of Salis being led into a Budapest courtroom on a chain and wearing hand and ankle cuffs sparked public outrage in Italy amid unconfirmed media reports of substandard detention conditions including rats, pigeons, lice, chains, maltreatment and beatings, and led the government to protest.
"We are following the case in conformity with the rules in forceand (by doing) everything possible to ensure that detention(conditions) respect the rights of the person," said Tajani.
"We can only follow the judicial events," he added.
"We have assisted the family and we made the attorney general go check on the detention conditions of Ms. Salis," he continued.
"A psychologist went to talk to her.
We did all the checks on her condition.
But Italy cannot intervene in the criminal proceedings," concluded Tajani.
Salis was arrested in Budapest in February 2023 following a counter demonstration against a neo-Nazi rally celebrating the 'Day of Honour' commemorating a Nazi WWII regiment.
She was charged with three counts of attempted assault and accused of being part of an extreme left-wing organisation.
She denies the charges, which could see her jailed for up to 24 years.
Her trial has been adjourned until May 24.
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