A request was presented on Tuesday to
the Italian judiciary's self-governing body to open a procedure
to protect a Catania judge who has come under heavy fire from
the government for saying, in a ruling, that recent legislation
on migrants was illegitimate.
Judge Iolanda Apostolico is at the centre of a political storm
after she decided not to uphold an order for three migrants to
be held at the Pozzallo CPR pre-expulsion centre on the grounds
that the related legislation breached the Italian Constitution,
international conventions, and EU law.
The government has passed a series of laws regarding the
handling of migrants, including a recent decree stipulating that
they can be held in CPR centres for up to 18 months but can post
a 'bail' of 5,000 euros in order to avert being detained, a
measure that has spurred widespread criticism.
On Monday Premier Giorgia Meloni said she was "astounded" by the
decision and asserted that "part of Italy is doing everything it
can to favour illegal immigration".
The interior ministry said it would challenge the ruling.
The furore had become even more heated due to allegations that
past social-media posts by the judge suggest she is biased
against the government's policy on migrants.
The League has presented a parliamentary question to Justice
Minister Carlo Nordio about the case after daily newspaper Il
Giornale reported on the judge's posts, including one in 2018
calling for a motion of no-confidence in Salvini when he was
interior minister.
The request for the procedure to protect Apostolico was
presented by 13 of the 16 CSM members stemming from the
judiciary.
The CSM is also made up of eight 'lay' councillors who are
elected by parliament.
The request was a response to the "serious professional
delegitimisation" Apostolico has been subjected to and "attacks
on the autonomy of judges", a statement said.
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