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Matteo Salvini: allegation of deprivation of liberty dropped
Photo: ATTILA KISBENEDEK / AFP
As Italy's interior minister, Matteo Salvini liked the role of the far right, who made a name for himself with tough policies against boat migrants.
Because of this attitude, he was threatened with a lawsuit in Sicily - but that will not happen now.
A court in Catania refused to open a trial against Salvini.
This is the result of a preliminary hearing, as the Adnkronos news agency reported.
Both the prosecution and the defense had pleaded for the discontinuation.
Salvini was Italy's interior minister for 14 months.
During this time he prevented several ships that had rescued people seeking protection from the Mediterranean from docking in Italian ports.
The asylum seekers were therefore stuck at sea.
The hearing was about the temporary halt of a coast guard ship on which 131 refugees had to wait at the end of July 2019.
They were only allowed to leave the "Gregoretti" after other states had offered their admission.
Salvini was therefore accused of deprivation of liberty.
However, the public prosecutor had recommended the closure of the case some time ago.
The ex-minister did not violate any international conventions with the blockade.
Salvini himself always stressed that he acted in harmony with the rest of the government at the time.
In Palermo, Salvini has to go to court
In another case, a court in Palermo recently ruled that the 48-year-old must go to court.
A trial against Salvini is scheduled to begin on September 15 in the Sicilian capital.
It is about the ship of the Spanish aid organization "Open Arms".
The case made headlines around the world.
Salvini had refused entry into the port of Lampedusa for the ship with about a hundred migrants on board in August 2019.
If convicted, Salvini faces 15 years imprisonment.
Salvini is chairman of the right-wing Lega party, which is involved in the government of Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
But Salvini himself does not have a ministerial post.
mfh / dpa / Reuters