(AFP) Italy’s far-right chief Matteo Salvini stands trial Saturday for allegedly illegally detaining migrants at sea, in a case that could see him jailed for 15 years or serve him a political win.
Prosecutors in the Sicilian city of Catania accuse Salvini of abusing his powers as then-interior minister to block 116 migrants from disembarking from the Italian Gregoretti coastguard boat last year under his so-called “closed ports” policy.
“I’ll plead guilty of having defended Italy and Italians,” said Salvini, who has called for his supporters to descend on Catania for a rally while he is in the dock.
“I did it … because protecting my country’s dignity is my duty as a senator, as a minister, and above all as an Italian,” he said on Twitter on Wednesday, next to a picture of him grinning and a countdown clock to Saturday’s preliminary hearing.
