The government is working to bring Italian inmate Chico Forti back to Italy as soon as possible, Justice Minister Carlo Nordio said Saturday after Premier Giorgia Meloni announced in Washington on Friday that an agreement had been reached for him to return from the United States to serve the rest of his term in his homeland.
Forti, 65, is in a maximum security jail in Florida after being given a life sentence in 2000 for the murder of Australian businessman Dale Pike in 1998.
Forti and his supporters say the conviction is unsound and he is the victim of a miscarriage of justice.
"Chico Forti's return to Italy is an important, long-awaited goal, achieved thanks to the authoritative personal efforts of Premier Giorgia Meloni," Nordio said.
"My offices will work to comply with all the necessary technical steps that are the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice in the shortest possible time and which I discussed with AttorneyGeneral, M. Garland during a visit to the Department of Justice in Washington in November.
"We hope that all the other steps, which also involve the judicial authorities, can also be completed as quickly as possible to allow Forti to continue serving his sentence in his country, close to his loved ones".
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