The three Palermo prosecutors who requested a six-year prison sentence for Matteo Salvini in the Open Arms case have received thousands of abusive messages.
They also received threats on social media and in letters. This prompted the State Attorney General of Palermo, Lia Saba, to raise the alarm with the provincial committee for public order and security, according to judicial sources on Thursday.
State attorneys Marzia Sabella, Gery Ferrara, and Giorgia Righi called for Salvini’s prison term on 14th September. They requested the sentence for preventing 147 migrants from disembarking five years ago from the Spanish NGO rescue ship, Open Arms. They have not commented on the threats they received.
Salvini’s indictment, due to his closed ports policy, has caused a political backlash. It has also sparked a hostile campaign on social media. The female prosecutors have faced death threats and sexist insults, with their photos posted online.
Members of their families have also been targeted with threats. Anonymous letters were sent to the State Attorney’s office. The Prosecutor General of Palermo reported these incidents to the Committee for public order and security.
Threats and abusive messages have also been sent to State attorneys in Caltanissetta, who handle cases involving magistrates in Palermo.
