Italy’s government is expressing its anger over the reported imprisonment of an Italian citizen under highly demeaning conditions in Hungary. Ilaria Salis is accused of assaulting neo-Nazis during Hungary’s Day of Honor commemorations last February. The 39-year-old elementary school teacher from Monza made an appearance in a Budapest court on Monday, where she was seen wearing chains and shackles. These included handcuffs fastened to a waist chain connected to another link held by an officer, as well as locked shackles on her ankles, limiting her mobility. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani deemed this treatment as excessive, according to the Independent. Following this incident, the government called in the Hungarian ambassador on Tuesday in protest.
Salis is currently facing possible imprisonment of up to 11 years on three charges of attempted assault. A prosecutor alleged that the anti-fascist activist had come to Hungary with the intent to carry out swift assaults capable of causing serious harm to individuals believed to be far-right. Her father, Roberto Salis, initially drew attention to what he described as the harsh conditions of her incarceration. Italian media reports indicated that she was “confined with mice and cockroaches,” with her neck bound, as reported by Sky News. The Guardian highlights that this case could potentially cause discomfort for Italy’s far-right leaders, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of the Brothers of Italy party and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini of the League party, who maintain close ties with Hungarian nationalist PM Viktor Orbán.
Roberto Salis announced on Thursday that his family intends to sue Salvini, who also holds the position of transport minister, after his party linked Ilaria Salis to previous violent incidents in Monza, as per ANSA. The League released a statement asserting that Salis had been accused of attacking two women and a gazebo used by the League during a march in February 2017. According to the party, these women had positively identified Salis, as reported by ANSA. However, Salis’ legal representatives countered that she had been acquitted of these charges. They argued that she was “merely identified as a participant in the march that day in Monza,” as stated by Eugenio Losco. “The judge concluded in the verdict that she had only participated in the procession and had not in any way engaged in the criminal activities of others.” (More Hungary stories.)
