Category Archives: Human Rights

A Statement by the President of the Council of Ministers, Mr. Enrico Letta, on the Datagate

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CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, XVII LEGISLATURE, 122nd MEETING, 20 DECEMBER 2013.

On 20 November 2013, the President of the Council of Ministers, Mr. Enrico Letta, gave an urgent report before the Chamber of Deputies on the so-called Datagate, the scandal initiated by the declarations of Edward Snowden. Mr Letta described how the US National Security Agency (NSA) could monitor the flow of metadata of Internet communications at a global level (PRISM Programme). Another surveillance programme (Tempora) would have been established by the British intelligence to monitor communications in submarine fibre-optic cables. In light of this background, he stated:  

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The Long-Term Programme of Work of the ILC, Including Comments on the Rule of Law

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UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SIXTH COMMITTEE (LXVIII Session), DEBATE ON THE REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL LAW COMMISSION ON THE WORK OF ITS SIXTY-FIFTH SESSION (UN Doc. A/68/10), 29 OCTOBER 2013.

On 29 October 2013, before the Sixth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, Min. Plenipotentiary Andrea Tiriticco, Director for Legal Affairs of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, expressed some remarks on the long-term programme of work of the International Law Commission, with reference inter alia to the topic of the Rule of Law. He stated:

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The Debate in the Sixth Committee on the Scope and Application of Universal Jurisdiction

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UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SIXTH COMMITTEE (LXVIII Session, XIV Meeting), THE SCOPE AND APPLICATION OF UNIVERSAL JURISDICTION, 18 October 2013.

On 18 October 2013, during the debate in the Sixth Committee of the UN General Assembly on the Scope and Application of Universal Jurisdiction, the Legal Adviser of the Permanent Mission of Italy, Mr Salvatore Zappalà, submitted the comments of his delegation supporting a more thorough analysis of the topic by the Committee, and also the possible involvement of the International Law Commission. After expressing satisfaction for the unanimous recognition of the principle of universal jurisdiction as a fundamental tool in ensuring that perpetrators of heinous crimes are brought to justice, he stated that:

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The Government’s Position on Russian Discriminatory Legislation on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

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CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, XVII LEGISLATURE, 54th MEETING, 16 JULY 2013.

On 16 July 2013, the deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Lapo Pistelli, explained before the Chamber of Deputies the Government’s view on the manifest violation of human rights contained in the recent Russian legislation against the LGBT community. He outlined the risks that such situations pose, the actions taken in the case and the role of EU organs and international organizations in the light of the universality of human rights.

He said:

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The President of the Council of the Ministers on Functional Immunity of State Officials from Foreign Criminal Jurisdiction (Enrica Lexie Case)

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CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, XVII LEGISLATURE, 50th MEETING, 10 JULY 2013.

On 10 July 2013, the President of the Council of the Ministers, Mr Enrico Letta, reported before the Chamber of Deputies on recent developments concerning the trial taking place before Indian authorities against sergeant major Latorre and sergeant Girone, two Italian marines part of a Vessel Protection Detachment (VPD) on board of the Italian oil-tanker Enrica Lexie accused of murdering two Indian fishermen while carrying out anti-piracy activities. Mr Letta referred to the testimony given by Latorre and Girone to the Indian judicial authorities on that same date and stated:

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ View on North Korean Nuclear Threat and International Cooperation on Non-Proliferation

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CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, XVII LEGISLATURE, 44th MEETING, 2 JULY 2013.

On 2 July 2013 the deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Lapo Pistelli answered a parliamentary question relating to North Korean aggressive rhetoric and provocations that took place between December 2012 and April 2013. He highlighted the centrality of Security Council resolution 2094 (2013) and the fundamental importance of operating within the frameworks of the NATO and G8 and in cooperation with the European partners when dealing with such issues of international concern as Pyongyang’s nuclear threats and systematic violations of human rights. 

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A Statement by the Minister for Home Affairs on the Management of Migratory Flows to Italy and the Amendment of the Dublin Regulation

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CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, XVII LEGISLATURE, 36th MEETING, 19 JUNE 2013.

On 19 June 2013, the Minister for Home Affairs Angelino Alfano reported at the Chamber of Deputies on recent landings of migrants on Lampedusa and other Italian coastal areas. He pointed out that the issue of managing migratory flows to Italy cannot be considered a merely national issue and asked for the cooperation of the European Union and bodies of the United Nations. He said:

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The Position of the Ministry of Justice on the Prohibition of Extradition of Terrorist Suspects

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CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, XVII LEGISLATURE, 17th MEETING, 16 MAY 2013 – QUESTION TIME.

On 16 May 2013, the Undersecretary of State for Justice, Mr. Cosimo Maria Ferri, outlined before the Chamber of Deputies the reasons leading to the Decreto Ministeriale of 24 April 2013, which granted the extradition of a Spanish terrorist suspect to Spain. In such country, special detention conditions, which have been the object of ECHR judgments and criticisms by human rights NGOs, apply for terrorist suspects. The extradition had been previously approved by both the Court of Appeal of Rome and the Supreme Court of Cassation. In his statement, Mr. Ferri referred to the decision of the Court of Cassation as follows:

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The President of the Council of Ministers on the Enrica Lexie Case and the Resignation of Minister Terzi

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CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, XVII LEGISLATURE, 5th MEETING, 27 MARCH 2013.

Following the resignation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Giulio Maria Terzi di Sant’Agata (whose statement before the Chamber of Deputies can be read here), the Italian President of the Council of Ministers, Senator Mario Monti, was asked to report at the Parliament on the Mr. Terzi’s resignation, as well as more broadly on the recent developments of the ongoing dispute between Italy and India. The dispute broke out after the arrest by Indian authorities of Sergeant Major Massimiliano Latorre and Sergeant Salvatore Girone, two italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen while embarked aboard the Italian-flagged oil-tanker Enrica Lexie in order to carry out anti-piracy activities.

Here follow some excerpts from Mario Monti’s statement before the Chamber of Deputies.

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Enrica Lexie Case: Minister Terzi’s Parliamentary Audition and Resignation

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CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, XVII LEGISLATURE, 4th MEETING, 26 MARCH 2013 – URGENT INFORMATION ON THE RECENT DEVELOPMENTS OF THE CASE OF THE TWO ITALIAN MARINES UNDER CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS IN INDIA.

On 26 March 2013, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Giulio Maria Terzi di Sant’Agata, declared in a speech before the Chamber of Deputies his intention to resign, in protest of the Italian Government’s decision to return to India Sergeant Major Massimiliano Latorre and Sergeant Salvatore Girone, the two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen while embarked aboard the Italian-flagged oil-tanker Enrica Lexie in order to carry out anti-piracy activities.

Here follows Minister Terzi’s statement:

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