Judges in Palermo who are members of
the tribunal's department specialized in handling immigration
and international protection cases have repeatedly failed to
uphold the detention of migrants under the government's
so-called Cutro legislation, judicial sources said Friday.
In particular, since a pre-removal facility was inaugurated
mid-August in Porto Empedocle near Agrigento, Sicily, 64 out of
the 74 detentions ordered by the local central police department
were ruled to be illegitimate and not validated by the court.
The controversial decree, which was later greenlighted by
parliament, was passed after the February 26 Cutro disaster that
killed 94 migrants at the Calabrian town.
It extended the period of detention for migrants in pre-removal
facilities and introduced a new form the detention for asylum
seekers during the examination of their request for
international protection.
It also required that asylum seekers from countries that are
considered safe pay bail of just under 5,000 euro to avoid being
detained while awaiting for the outcome of their application.
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