A court in Sicily Friday found Italian Vice Premier Matteo Salvini not guilty of illegally detaining 100 migrants aboard a humanitarian rescue ship iin 2019 when he was interior minister.

A court in Sicily is expected to announce its verdict on whether Italy’s vice premier, Matteo Salvini, is guilty of illegally detaining 100 migrants aboard a humanitarian rescue ship when he was inter

The three-judge panel acquitted Salvini, then Italy’s interior minister, of the crimes of abduction and dereliction of duty in connection with the 19-day stand-off with the vessel Open Arms. Prosecutors had sought a six-year prison term for Salvini — the leader of the far-right League party — a demand that sparked fierce condemnation by rightwing leaders in Italy,

A court on Friday acquitted Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini of charges of kidnapping over 100 migrants aboard a boat he had blocked at sea for nearly three weeks in 2019, as part of a policy to curb irregular arrivals.

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini was found not guilty in a criminal kidnapping case dating back to August 2019, when he barred a migrant vessel from docking in the country, leaving it stranded offshore.

Italy’s Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini was acquitted over his role in preventing a rescue ship carrying 147 migrants from docking in Sicily in 2019.