Ilaria Salis, a 39-year-old teacher originally from Monza, has been detained in Hungary for 11 months, accused of having participated in the attack of two neo-Nazis during a counter-demonstration in Budapest on 11 February 2023, on the occasion of the "Day of Honour", a gathering of European far-right groups.
The Hungarian Prosecutor's Office has requested 11 years in prison for her, but her lawyer claims that there is no concrete evidence against her and that the accusation is based on unfounded assumptions, including criminal conspiracy with two other German co-defendants.
Salis, who denied the accusations, found it difficult to defend herself due to the language barrier and the lack of translation of the procedural documents, as well as not having had access to the images that constitute the main evidence of the prosecution. The conditions of detention described are particularly severe, with significant restrictions on contact with family and the Italian authorities, and have been criticized for their harshness, compared to those reserved for international terrorists.
The story has sparked reactions at an international level, including Italian diplomacy which is mobilizing to support the request to transfer Salis to house arrest in Italy.
It is new? Far from it! Ordinary risk for those who are abroad and have Italian citizenship. So why so much fuss over this case?
We discuss it Sunday 4 February at 18.00 with some compatriots: Andrew Constantine, Mark Zennaro, Ferruccio Cerruti and the lawyer Giuseppe Rossodivita.
See you there!
