"Deep pain and surprise."
This is what Justice Minister Carlo Nordio
says she felt when she saw
Ilaria Salis
handcuffed in a courtroom
.
"The restraint measures have not been abolished, but they are an exception - explains Nordio in an interview with La Stampa -. On this point, European and Italian legislation is very clear: the accused appears free before the judge, unless that the latter does not provide coercive measures, such as handcuffs or very sad cages, to prevent dangers of escape or violence".
And he underlines: "In the case of Ilaria Salis I really don't think these dangers existed."
The Keeper of the Seals then explains: "As long as the trial lasts, Hungarian jurisdiction is sovereign. Neither the Hungarian nor the Italian government can intervene."
And he adds: "We can, however, work on the penitentiary treatment front, so that European standards are respected."
According to Nordio, "if you really want to obtain a concrete result, experience suggests acting with prudence, without raising controversies that could irritate the other party and have the opposite effect. This is what my colleague Tajani and our government are doing I personally explained everything to Ilaria's father in the meeting last January 23rd. However, I assured him of our support and I will return tomorrow to give him an overview of the situation."
As for the situation in
Italian prisons
, the Minister of Justice states: "Overcrowding depends on the disproportion between the number of prisoners and the available prisons. Alternative measures can and sometimes must be resorted to".
According to Nordio, "it is finally necessary to have an impact on preventive detention, which for many defendants, who were later acquitted, proved to be unjustified".
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