CoE slams 'undue' criticism against migrant judges

(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 22 - The Council of Europe's independent human rights monitoring body ECRI on Tuesday denounced in its report on Italy "undue criticism aimed at undermining the authority of single magistrates ruling on migration cases" after a decision by Rome judges not to validate the detention of migrants at a new Italian-run centre in Albania was harshly criticized by cabinet members.
    The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) cited the case as an example of public and political speech "promoting a culture of exclusion of migrants rather than their inclusion".
    Such criticism, according to ECRI, "undermines the independence of magistrates dealing with such cases" while the judiciary should be "respected, protected and promoted". (ANSA).